Body except for snout, pectoral base and caudal peduncle covered with prickles. Teeth fused into plates, two plates on each jaw. Nostril with two openings. Caudal fin truncate. Body dusky green dorsally with 6 transverse black bars, ventral part white; all fins dusky green or dark brown.
Distribution:
Coasts of Peru, Venezuela, Suriname and Brazil, found frequently in freshwaters.
Remarks:
The genus Colomesus is represented by the two species, C. psittacus and C. asellus. C. asellus is characterized by having several small dermal filaments on the chin, 5 transverse black bars on the back and 13〜16 rays in the pectoral fin. (Matsuura)