Morphology Data of Epinephelus amblycephalus
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall, 1993
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features none
Body shape lateral fusiform / normal
Cross section compressed
Dorsal head profile clearly convex
Type of eyes more or less normal
Type of mouth/snout more or less normal
Position of mouth superior
Type of scales ctenoid scales
Diagnosis

This species is distinguished by the following characters: body depth less than head length, 2.5-3.0 times in SL; large head length 2.1-2.4 times in SL; rounded preopercle with 3-6 enlarged serrae at the angle; upper edge of operculum slightly convex; midside of lower jaw with 2 rows of teeth; gill rakers of first gill arch 8 + 14-16 = 22-24; scaly maxilla, reaching about vertical at rear edge of eye; pectoral and pelvic fin length are equal, 1.7-2.3 times in head length; ctenoid lateral body scales, few auxiliary scales in adults. Colour of head, body and median fins are pale grey; 5 broad dark brown bars, first 2 extending into the spinous part of dorsal fin, 3rd and 4th bars extending into the soft dorsal and anal fins, 5th dark bar at the base of the caudal fin; edges of dorsal parts of body bars with small black spots; nape with dark brown saddle blotch, small black spots mainly along edge of the blotch; cheeks, snout, interorbital area, jaws and chest mostly dark brown, with 2-3 white bands radiating from the eye; irregular black bar on the middle of the caudal fin; yellow maxillary groove; small juveniles (6 cm SL) white, with black bars on body as described for adults, the fins pale yellow with small black spots (Ref. 39231, 89707).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Epinephelus amblycephalus

Lateral Lines 1 Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line 47 - 52
Pored lateral line scales
Scales in lateral series 90 - 121
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 14 - 16
on upper limb 8 - 8
total 22 - 24
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes no striking attributes
Fins number 1notched No
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 11 - 11
Soft-rays total 15 - 16
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 3 - 3
Soft-rays total 8 - 8

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   18 - 19
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    thoracic  beneath origin of D1
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