Morphology Data of Hippichthys heptagonus
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Herre, A.W.C.T., 1927
Appearance refers to Male; Female
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs other
Different appearance always different morphology between mature adults
Different colors
Remarks Males with brood pouch; females with ovipositor (Ref. 205).

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features
Body shape lateral eel-like
Cross section compressed
Dorsal head profile clearly concave
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

Description: Body: trunk heptagonal; very long tail 4-sided; covered with finely-sculptured plates with fine ridges; knife-like keel on the belly made up of sculptured plates (Ref. 2930). Head conical posteriorly; large elongate snout very narrow with concave plates; operculum with prominent median longitudinal keel; nape with a median crest (Ref. 2930). Dorsal fin only at the first 6 rings of tail; dorsal fin with 23-30 rays; pectoral fin with 13-16 rays; pectoral and caudal fins small (Ref. 2930, 4281).

Colouration: Preserved colour dusky greenish gray; underside of head whitish; ventral keel and caudal fin blackish (Ref. 2930). Brownish, often without distinctive markings; venter of trunk commonly dusky, shading to near black on median ridge; some with brownish bars; dorsal fin rays without distinct row of brown spots (Ref. 4281).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Hippichthys heptagonus

Lateral Lines Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line
Pored lateral line scales
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
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes other
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total 0 - 0
Soft-rays total 22 - 30
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes forked; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number
Spines total
Soft-rays total

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   13 - 16
Pelvics Attributes  suppressed/absent
Position    absent
Spines     
Soft-rays   
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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