Morphology Data of Cheilinus undulatus
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Westneat, M.W., 2001
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 fusiform / normal
Cross section compressed
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

This species is distinguished by the following characters: body deep, its depth 2.2-2.7 times in standard length; dorsal profile of head straight to above eye, then becoming convex; adults develop a large hump on forehead that can protrude anterior to eye; anterior tip of head forming an acute angle; jaws and lips prominent, 2 strong canines anteriorly in each jaw; no enlarged tooth present of rear of upper jaw; D IX,10, continuous; A III,8; dorsal and anal fins of adults very pointed, reaching well posterior to caudal-fin base; pelvic fins of small fish reaching anus, extending beyond anal-fin origin in large adults; pectoral fins with ii unbranched and 10 branched rays; caudal fin rounded; lateral line interrupted below posterior portion of dorsal-fin base, with a total of 22-23 pored scales; scales reaching well onto bases of dorsal and anal fins; scales in front of dorsal fin extending forward to above centre of eye; cheek and opercle scaly; lower jaw without scales. Colour of body olive to green with a vertical dark bar on each scale above and behind pectoral fins; head of adults blue-green to blue with highly irregular undulating yellowish lines; 2 black lines extending posteriorly from eye. Juvenile coloration lighter to white with dark scale bars and prominent black lines extending posteriorly from eyes, as well as 2 lines extending diagonally up and back from eye and 2 diagonally downward on snout in front of eye (Ref. 9823).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Cheilinus undulatus

Lateral Lines 1 Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line
Pored lateral line scales 22 - 23
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 13 - 14
on upper limb 6 - 7
total 19 - 21
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes modified to suction disc
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 9 - 9
Soft-rays total 10 - 10
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 3 - 3
Soft-rays total 8 - 8

Paired fins

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