Family DRACONETTIDAE

A small group of rare bottom-dwelling fishes found in tropical and subtropical seas on the outer continental shelf and continental slope, and on ridges and seamounts worldwide. Species have an elongate, rounded body, a pointed snout, very large eyes, a protrusible upper jaw, villiform teeth in jaws, a strong simple spine on both the opercle and subopercle, a wide gill opening, and a grooved lateral line. In addition, they have two dorsal fins, the first with three spines, the second with 12–14 unbranched rays (the last ray divided at its base), an anal fin with 12–13 branched rays (the last ray divided at its base), a large rounded pectoral fin, the pelvic fin with one spine and five rays, and a truncate caudal fin.