Morphology Data of Moenkhausia diamantina
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Benine, R.C., R.M.C. Castro and A.C.A. Santos, 2007
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks Presence of very small hooks on the segments of the first two branched anal-fin rays (one hook per segment). Only a single male measuring 5.85 cm SL has small hooks on the segments of first two branched pelvic-fin rays (one hook per segment).

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features
Body shape lateral short and / or deep
Cross section
Dorsal head profile
Type of eyes
Type of mouth/snout
Position of mouth terminal
Type of scales
Diagnosis

Diagnosed from all members of the genus Moenkhausia by the body color pattern, the presence of scales on the predorsal median line and the number of anal-fin rays. Distinguished from Moenkhausia levidorsa in having a regularly scaled predorsal line (vs. a naked predorsal line); and differs from other congeners, except for Moenkhausia oligolepis, Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae, Moenkhausia pyrophthalma, Moenkhausia nigromarginata and Moenkhausia diktyota, by having a reticulated body pigmentation pattern. Differs further from all congeners with a reticulated body pigmentation pattern, except for Moenkhausia nigromarginata, by the absence of a conspicuous dark blotch in the caudal peduncle; further distinguished from Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae and Moenkhausia oligolepis by its higher number of pored lateral line scales (32-34 vs. 22-24, 27-30, respectively); and differs from Moenkhausia diktyota in the extent of the poring of the lateral line (complete vs. incomplete). Can be differentiated from Moenkhausia nigromarginata by the absence of a black stripe on the anterior edge of dorsal, pelvic and anal fins, and absence of longitudinal stripes on the body positioned over the center of the scales (vs. presence of both pigmentation patterns) and the number of anal-fin rays (iv, 24-26; vs. ii-iv, 20-22) (Ref. 75036).

Description: Dorsal fin ii,9; Anal fin iv,24-27; Pectoral fin i11-13; Pelvic i7 (Ref. 75036).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Moenkhausia diamantina

Lateral Lines Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line 32 - 34
Pored lateral line scales 32 - 34
Scales in lateral series
Scale rows above lateral line 6 - 6
Scale rows below lateral line 4 - 5
Scales around caudal peduncle 12 - 14
Barbels
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb 11 - 11
on upper limb 6 - 7
total
Vertebrae
preanal 11 - 11
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes no striking attributes
Fins number
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total
Soft-rays total 11 - 11
Adipose fin present

Caudal fin

Attributes forked

Anal fin(s)

Fins number
Spines total
Soft-rays total 28 - 31

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     
Soft-rays   12 - 14
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    abdominal  before origin of D1
Spines     
Soft-rays   8 - 8
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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