Morphology Data of Sphyraena forsteri
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Myers, R.F., 1991
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features none
Body shape lateral elongated
Cross section oval
Dorsal head profile more or less straight
Type of eyes more or less normal
Type of mouth/snout more or less normal
Position of mouth terminal
Type of scales cycloid scales
Diagnosis

Body elongate and sub cylindrical with small cycloid scales; head long and pointed. Mouth large and horizontal, the tip of the lower jaw protruding; intermaxilla non-protractile. Preoperculum broadly rounded. Lower limb of the first fill arch with spiny tubercles. First dorsal fin origin opposite or before the pectoral tip, the first spine shorter than the second. Color is generally blackish above and silvery below.

Description: Characterized further by having 112-123 lateral line scales; absence of gill rakers, spinules on 10-20 tubercles of lower limb; closely spaced teeth, posterior ones in lower jaw angeled backwards; very large eye; depth of body 6.9-7.7 in SL (Ref. 90102).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Sphyraena forsteri

Lateral Lines 1 Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line 112 - 133
Pored lateral line scales 112 - 123
Scales in lateral series
Scale rows above lateral line
Scale rows below lateral line
Scales around caudal peduncle
Barbels 0
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb
on upper limb
total 0 - 0
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes no striking attributes
Fins number 2
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 6 - 6
Soft-rays total 9 - 9
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes forked; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 2 - 2
Soft-rays total 9 - 9

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   14 - 15
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    abdominal  beneath origin of D1
Spines     1
Soft-rays   5 - 5
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