Cape monkfish

Marine fish with regularly ossified skeleton. Head and anterior part of body much depressed and very broad, posterior portion of body tapering. Head bearing numerous sharp spines on dorsal and lateral surfaces. Large mouth, with long and sharp teeth. Prominent lower jaw. Humeral spines (in front of the base of the pectoral fins) well developed. Frontal ridges between both eyes of rough touch. Two separate dorsal fins, the first consisting of long spines in the head and shorter in the back of the head, the second composed of soft rays. Skin smooth, naked, often with fleshy flaps on head and/or body. Color: dorsal surface uniformly colored light or dark brown, lighter on the ventral surface; all rays of the fins with pale tips; peritoneum (membrane around behind the pectoral fins) of pale color. It reaches a maximum length of 1 m.