Chaunax Lowe, 1846

Chaunax Lowe, 1846:81

(type species: Chaunax pictus Lowe, 1846; by monotypy).

Chaunax differs from the only confamilial genus Chaunacops in having more lateral-line neuromasts: BD 2–5 (vs. 1), GH 10–19 (vs. 2–4) and BI 26–50 (vs. 18–26); a well expanded lower part of the maxilla, much broader than the upper part (vs. uniformly narrow or with the lower part only slightly expanded); a narrower intersphenotic space (15.5–21.8% SL, vs. 21.8‒24.7% SL); a shorter illicium (2.3–5.0% SL, vs. 7.0‒7.4% SL); a shorter caudal fin (26.9–32.9% SL vs. 32.5‒35.7% SL); mainly 12 dorsal-fin rays (vs. mainly 11) and 7 anal-fin rays (vs. mainly 6); and well-toothed palatines with the teeth in a long, narrow band (vs. only a few teeth at the anterior end) (Caruso, 1989a, b; Ho & McGrouther, 2015).