| Main Ref. | Teugels, G.G., 2003 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral (shape guide) | elongated |
| Cross section | |
| Dorsal head profile | |
| Type of eyes | |
| Type of mouth/snout | |
| Position of mouth | |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
Diagnosis: mouth large and protrusible; premaxilla reaching upwards to level of occipital region; preopercle denticulate; lateral line absent; 5 scale rows on cheeks; caudal fin rounded (Ref. 57397). Coloration: highly variable, depending, among other factors, on emotional state of fish; normally, ground colour dark brown; iris red; opercula with a large black blotch bordered posteriorly by a bright red band; under stress, colour turns rapidly into a marbled pattern with alternating light and dark brown cross bars; in young individuals, sides show a series of light cross bars (Ref. 57397). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 30 - 31 |
| 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 | 6 |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | extending over most of the back length |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 |
| Ventral 0 | |
| Spines total | 15 - 16 |
| Soft-rays total | 9 - 10 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 4 - 4 |
| Soft-rays total | 6 - 7 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position behind origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |