Body flat and elongate, with dorsal and anal fins joined to caudal fin. Eyes on left side of body, with a small scaly space between them; snout obtusely pointed, rostral hook short, corner of mouth reaching or almost reaching beyond lower eye, about midway between gill opening and tip of snout. Two lateral lines on eyed side but none on blind side. Scales ctenoid (rough to touch) on eyed side but cycloid (smooth on blind side, large, 7 to 9 scale rows between lateral lines on eyed side.