Morphology Data of Leptodoras marki
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Birindelli, J.L.O. and L.M. Sousa, 2010
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features
Body shape lateral elongated
Cross section compressed
Dorsal head profile more or less straight
Type of eyes
Type of mouth/snout
Position of mouth sub-terminal/inferior
Type of scales
Diagnosis

Leptodoras marki is distinguished from its congeners by having a large dark submarginal blotch on distal half of dorsal-fin spine and anteriormost dorsal-fin branched rays (vs. dorsal fin hyaline in L. acipenserinus, L. cataniai, L. linnelli, L. myersi, L. nelsoni, L. rogersae, or dorsal fin with basal third to half of dorsal-fin spine and dorsal-fin branched rays blackened, forming a triangular blotch tapered posteriorly in L. copei, L. oyakawai, L. praelongus, or dorsal fin with base of branched rays darkened in L. juruensis); lower labial extension of modified oral hood extending more posteriorly than upper labial extension (vs. upper labial extending posteriorly to lower labial extension in L. acipenserinus, L. cataniai, L. juruensis, L. myersi, L. nelsoni, L. rogersae, or upper and lower labial extensions finishing more or less even in L. hasemani, L. linnelli); relatively few midlateral scutes (34–37 vs. 37–46 per side in all congeners except in L. copei, L. oyakawai, L. praelongus); gas bladder moderately sized, not reduced (vs. reduced in all congeners, except in L. oyakawai); paired bony capsules on anteriormost vertebrae reduced to paired cup-like laminar ossifications separated by a triangular septum (vs. paired bony capsules longitudinally expanded, rounded, and more bulbous, not compressed anteriorly in all congeners, except in L. oyakawai); pair of small, swelling-like diverticula on each side of the anterior chamber of gas bladder (vs. gas bladder with smooth walls, without diverticula in L. oyakawai); a well-developed anterior nuchal plate and parieto-supraoccipital not contacting middle nuchal plate (vs. anterior nuchal plate reduced, permitting contact between parieto-supraoccipital and middle nuchal plate in most specimens of L. praelongus); and nuchal foramina present (vs. absent in medium to large specimens of L. copei, L. hasemani, L. praelongus) (Ref. 84244).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Leptodoras marki

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
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb
on upper limb
total
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes
Fins number
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total
Soft-rays total
Adipose fin

Caudal fin

Attributes

Anal fin(s)

Fins number
Spines total
Soft-rays total

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  
Spines     
Soft-rays   
Pelvics Attributes  
Position    
Spines     
Soft-rays   
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
Comments & Corrections
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