Distribution: Southern Central America and South America. Large sac-like muscular epibranchial organ that extends dorsal to the medial elements of the dorsal portions of the gill arches; reduction or loss of dentition on the fifth upper pharyngeal tooth plate and loss on the ceratobranchial. Generally detritivorous. Maximum length 45 cm. Suggested new common name for this family from Ref. 58418. CLOFFSCA Distinguished from all other Characiformes by the combination of the total absence in adults of dentition in either jaw (a feature present elsewhere among characiforms only in Anodus of the family Hemiodontidae) and a series of internal synapomorphies in multiple body systems (see Vari (1989: 52) for a summary).

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