Morphology Data of Gilchristella aestuaria
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Whitehead, P.J.P., 1985
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs no special organs
Different appearance males alike females
Different colors males alike females
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features none
Body shape lateral fusiform / normal
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

Diagnosis: Body rather compressed, belly rounded, with 6 to 9 thin unkeeled pre-pelvic scutes followed by an equally thin pelvic scute, all with slender ascending arms; no post-pelvic scutes; snout pointed, lower jaw a little prominent, with a single row of fine teeth in each jaw; posterior supra-maxilla paddle-shaped; gillrakers 39 to 76, gillrakers small but present on posterior face of third epibranchial; pelvic fin with i-7 finrays, under or a little before dorsal fin origin (Ref. 188). Resembles Spratelloides species or juvenile Etrumeus and Dussumieria, but pre-pelvic scutes present; other clupeids occuring in same area have keeled pre-pelvic and post-pelvic scutes (Ref. 188).

Description: Body compressed, fusiform; belly rounded; fins short, pectorals low on body, pelvics before dorsal, anal long-based, caudal forked (Ref. 3259; 7248, 52193). Mouth upturned, eyes large (Ref. 7248, 52193). Upper jaw rounded when seen from front (Ref. 188). Lower gillrakers apparently highly variable, 39-76 (Ref. 3259, 118219). Dorsal fin with 3 unbranched and 11-12 branched rays; anal fin with 3 unbranched and 17 branched rays; pectoral fin with 1 unbranched and 10-11 branched rays; pelvic fin with 1 unbranched and 7 branched rays; pelvic fin base in front of dorsal fin base; pelvic fin reaching more than halfway to anus (Ref. 3259, 7248, 52193). Scales light and easily shed, about 40 in longitudinal series; transverse scales 9-10 (Ref. 7248, 52193, 118219). Belly with 6-9 thin scutes before pelvic fin, only visible when belly scales removed and surface dried; no post-pelvic scutes (Ref. 3259).

Colouration: Silvery; top and sides of head and body thickly sprinkled with black dots; brilliant silver lateral stripe, on hind part of side; back dark (Ref. 3259, 36031). In alcohol: a uniform light brown with a faint midlateral silvery band; individual bases of dorsal and anal rays black pigmented; two short dark pigment lines at base of anal, one almost horizontal along upper border, the other oblique on lower border (Ref. 118219).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Gilchristella aestuaria

Lateral Lines Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line
Pored lateral line scales
Scales in lateral series 40 - 40
Scale rows above lateral line
Scale rows below lateral line
Scales around caudal peduncle
Barbels
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb 39 - 76
on upper limb
total
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes no striking attributes
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total 0 - 0
Soft-rays total 14 - 15
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes forked; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 0 - 0
Soft-rays total 20 - 20

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   11 - 12
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    abdominal  before origin of D1
Spines     0
Soft-rays   8 - 8
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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