Genus Hypoplectrodes

An endemic southern Hemisphere genus with eleven species, seven in Australian waters. 
Body moderately short and deep; head large, dorsal profile straight; eyes extending above dorsal profiles of head, interorbital space narrow; mouth reaching almost to below hind edge of eyes; band of villiform teeth in each jaw, both jaws with 2 moderately large, single or paired canines anteriorly, lower jaw with additional canine or pair of canines laterally; small teeth on vomer and palatines; opercle with 2 strong spines and 3rd smaller spine dorsally; preopercle strongly serrate along hind edge; scales coarsely ctenoid, covering head, but not snout, preorbitals and maxillae; dorsal fin with low central notch; caudal fin rather small, rounded; pectoral fins large, reaching anal-fin origin, rounded; pelvic fins small, tips rounded.