Mouth large, nearly vertical, with numerous small villiform teeth. Gill opening pore-shaped and located above and behind pectoral fin base.
Pectoral fins limb-like, resembling elbow, their unbranched rays ending in jointed fleshy tips.
Lateral line within open canals, especially noticeable on head. Eggs distributed in single, floating gelatinous mass. Chaunax pictus Lowe 1846 - first record of the family Chaunacidae in the Mediterranean Sea. Ragonese S., Giusto G.B. and Caruso J. H., 2001.