| Main Ref. | Orr, J.W. and R.A. Fritzsche, 1993 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | other |
| Different appearance | always different morphology between mature adults |
| Different colors | males alike females |
| Remarks | Females have pelvic fins modified into brood pouch (Ref. 9829). |
| Striking features | strking shape of body |
| Body shape lateral | other |
| Cross section | flattened |
| Dorsal head profile | more or less straight |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | tube-like |
| Position of mouth | terminal |
| Type of scales | bony plates or armour |
| Diagnosis |
Total number of body plates is 33-35. Color and color patterns highly variable: most specimens in dark-color phase with dark red background overlaid with reticulated yellow to orange blotches; some in light-color phase of yellow to beige with few spots of darker pigment on body. Two large black spots present between first and third dorsal-fin spines (Ref. 9829). Long caudal peduncle and elongated caudal fin (Ref. 48635). Description: Characterized by depth of body 15.7-19.0 % SL; least snout depth 3.9-4.3 % SL; depth of caudal peduncle 2.9-3.7 % SL; length of caudal peduncle13.8-17.6 % SL; length of caudal fin 46-52 % SL (Ref. 90102). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 0 - 0 |
| Pored lateral line scales | 0 - 0 |
| Scales in lateral series | 0 - 0 |
| Scale rows above lateral line | 0 - 0 |
| Scale rows below lateral line | 0 - 0 |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | 0 - 0 |
| Barbels | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | 19 - 19 |
| total | 32 - 33 |
| Attributes | no striking attributes |
| Fins number | 2 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 5 - 5 |
| Soft-rays total | 20 - 22 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | pointed; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 20 - 22 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 24 - 25 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes other (see diagnosis) |
| Position thoracic before origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |