Morphology Data of Cephaloscyllium variegatum
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Last, P.R. and W.T. White, 2008
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
Dorsal head profile
Type of eyes
Type of mouth/snout
Position of mouth
Type of scales placoid scales
Diagnosis

This medium-sized species is distinguished by the following set of characters: head 9.4-10.5% TL in height, trunk width 14.5-17.1% TL; origin of first dorsal fin over or slightly behind mid pelvic-fin base; prenarial 4.4-5.0% TL in length; length of preorbital snout, 1.5-1.7 times prenarial length, 2.9-3.3 in prepectoral length, 6.4-7.2 in prepelvic length; snout-vent length long, 50.5-52.9% TL; nostril 2.4-2.6% TL in width; eye-spiracle space wide, 0.8-1.3% TL; pectoral fin large, height 12.9-13.2% TL, posterior margin length 10.4-12.1% TL; anal fin 3.5-4.1% TL in height; anal-caudal space 4.5-5.7% SL; precaudal 76-78% TL in length; interdorsal space 6.5-8.0% TL; teeth with 3-7 cusps near symphysis of upper jaw; flank denticles are mainly unicuspidate; back with no greatly enlarged denticles; long adult clasper, up to 8.1% TL, almost reaching anal fin, interspace about 5.4 in anal-fin base; vertebral centra 116-124; teeth in each jaw 68-82; variable colour pattern, not similar between adults and juveniles; adults have 11 distinct or indistinct dark saddle-like markings on body and tail while juveniles are without saddles, instead with fine blackish spots; predorsal saddles are not much wider than interspaces between them; interspiracular saddle width is subequal to eye length; obvious dark blotch over gill slits none; fleshy part of caudal fin appearing as a pale stripe, well demarcated from darker areas above and below (Ref. 76948).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Cephaloscyllium variegatum

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   
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cfm script by eagbayani, 17.10.00, php script by rolavides, 13/03/08 ,  last modified by sortiz, 06.27.17