Morphology Data of Clarias camerunensis
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Teugels, G.G., 1986
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs no special organs
Different appearance males alike females
Different colors males alike females
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features none
Body shape lateral elongated
Cross section
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 sub-terminal/inferior
Type of scales scales embedded or partly/completely absent
Diagnosis

Diagnosis: body less elongate, its maximum depth 11.9-16.4% SL (m=14.1); head length 21.0-26.0% SL (m=24.1) (Ref. 57129, 81644). Head rectangular dorsally; snout extremely broadly rounded; eyes more laterally placed (Ref. 248). Interorbital distance 45.4-54.3% HL (m=48.8) (Ref. 57129, 81644). Tooth plates extremely broad (Ref. 248), width of premaxillary tooth plate 30.4-38.9% HL (m=34.9), and of vomerine tooth plate 26.1-33.9% HL (m=29.7)(Ref. 57129, 81644). Frontal fontanel long and narrow; occipital fontanelle long and oval-shaped (Ref. 248). Supraorbital and "dermosphenotic" bones separated in specimens up to 200 mm SL, in larger specimens they usually become joined (Ref. 248, 101841)). 7-13 (Ref. 57129, 81644) or 7-14 (Ref. 101841) gill rakers on first gill arch. Suprabranchial organ well developed (Ref. 248, 101841). Pectoral spine slender, its outer side showing strong downward serrations (Ref. 248, 81644). Dorsal fin length 59.5-67.9% SL; distance from dorsal to caudal fin 1.2-4.3% SL (Ref. 57129, 101841). Flank neuromasts arranged in a regular pattern (Ref. 81644).

Colouration: no information on colour in life (Ref. 57129, 101841). Preserved specimens: dark brown on back and sides and pale brown to beige/whitish on belly; pectoral and pelvic fins sometimes with a pale distal band; caudal fin sometimes with alternating light and dark vertical bars (Ref. 57129, 81644). Never an irregular pattern of small white spots on body (Ref. 101841).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Clarias camerunensis

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 8
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) absent
Gill rakers
on lower limb
on upper limb
total 7 - 14
Vertebrae
preanal
total 56 - 61

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes extending over most of the back length
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   0
Ventral  0
Spines total 0
Soft-rays total 69 - 94
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total
Soft-rays total 52 - 70

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     1
Soft-rays   8 - 10
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    abdominal  behind origin of D1
Spines     
Soft-rays   6 - 7
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