Genus Brachiopsilus

A genus of handfishes with three known species - with the following combination of characters: body relatively deep, 31–43% SL at second dorsal-fin origin; head robust, suboval to slightly compressed in cross section, large, 47–58% SL; caudal peduncle very short, 1–5% SL; illicium short to long and slender (2.2–3.6 in head length), 3–5 times length of esca; skin thick, surface smooth or covered with low, cutaneous ridges, but lacking enlarged, fleshy, wart-like protuberances; no surface scales or protruding spinules apart from sensory scales (deeply embedded scale fragments sometimes present); dermal appendages absent; either body or fins brightly coloured or with a strongly speckled pattern; pectoral-fin rays 9–10 (mainly 9); anal-fin rays 9–10; vertebrae 22–25 (mainly 23 or 24).