| Main Ref. | Williams, J.T., 1988 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral | fusiform / normal |
| Cross section | oval |
| 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 | |
| Diagnosis |
Diagnosis: Dorsal fin XII, 15, membrane attached to caudal fin, with deep notch above last spine, first spine almost same or slightly higher than second; anal fin II, 16; pectoral rays 15; pelvic fin I, 4; caudal fin procurrent rays 10-14. Vertebrae 10 + 21. LL, without scales and scalelike flaps; LL tubes 2-11 (usually 5-9), canal ends below 15th dorsal ray to caudal-fin base. Upper lip crenulae 41-47. Gill rakers 19-24. Cephalic sensory pore complex. Cirri, supraorbital 2-4, nasal 8-19; nuchal 34-44, row uninterrupted, without nuchal flap, cirri connected at their bases by a membranous ridge. Adults and juveniles anterior body light rose with black spots and 2 broad bars, posteriorly dark purple or blue with white spots, cirri pale. Ophioblennius overall cream with small dark brown spot on posterior of lower lip (in alcohol) (Ref. 529). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 1 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 | 19 - 24 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | 10 - 10 |
| total | 31 - 32 |
| Attributes | extending over most of the back length |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | 12 - 13 |
| Soft-rays total | 15 - 16 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 2 - 2 |
| Soft-rays total | 15 - 17 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 14 - 16 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic before origin of D1 | |
| Spines 1 | |
| Soft-rays 4 - 4 |