They have a bony skeleton, are generally laterally flattened, have five pairs of gills protected by an operculum, and a mouth at or near the tip of the snout.
ðeɪ hæv ɐ bˈoʊni skˈɛlᵻtən, ɑːɹ dʒˈɛnɚɹəli lˈæɾɚɹəli flˈæʔn̩d, hæv fˈaɪv pˈɛɹz ʌv ɡˈɪlz pɹətˈɛktᵻd baɪ ɐn ˈɑːpɚkjˌʊləm, ænd ɐ mˈaʊθ æt ɔːɹ nˌɪɹ ðə tˈɪp ʌvðə snˈaʊt.