Morphology Data of Ethmalosa fimbriata
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Whitehead, P.J.P., 1985
Appearance refers to Male; Female
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 fusiform / normal
Cross section compressed
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 ctenoid scales
Diagnosis

Diagnosis: Body fairly deep, compressed, scutes present along belly; upper jaw with distinct notch, into which tip of lower jaw fits; lower gillrakers long, fine and numerous, about 3 times as long as gill filaments, upper gillrakers bent sharply upward, V-shaped; pelvic fin rays with 1 unbranched and 7 branched rays; caudal fin tips long and pointed (Ref. 188). A faint dark spot behind gill cover, sometimes followed by others; dorsal fin tip black; caudal fin deep chrome yellow; golden tints on body (Ref. 188, 81269). Ethmalosa fimbriata resembles Sardinella aurita, Sardinella rouxi and especially Sardinella maderensis, but these are more slender, have a rounded upper jaw which is not notched and the upper gillrakers are not bent upward like an elbow (Ref. 188).

Description: Body fairly deep, compressed, scutes present along belly (Ref. 188, 2849, 81269, 81631). Mouth terminal; upper jaw with distinct median notch, into which tip of lower jaw fits (Ref. 187, 188). Adipose eyelid very well developed (Ref. 2849, 5356, 81269, 81631). Lower gillrakers long, fine and numerous, about 3 times as long as gill filaments; upper gillrakers bent sharply upward, V-shaped; total gill rakers about 108 (Ref. 188, 104885). Dorsal fin short, at about midpoint of body, with 16-19 rays, consisting of 3-5 unbranched and 12-17 branched rays; anal fin well behind dorsal fin base, with 19-25 rays, consisting of 2-4 unbranched and 17-23 branched rays; pectoral fin with 1 unbranched and 14 branched rays; pelvic fin with 1 unbranched and 7 branched rays; caudal fin tips long and pointed (Ref. 187, 188, 2849, 5356, 81269, 81631, 104885). Scales lacinate on posterior margin, numbering 37-45 in a longitudinal series; transversal scales 16-19; pre-dorsal scales 20-22 (Ref. 2849, 5356, 81269, 81631). With 16-20 pre-pelvic and 10-13 post-pelvic midventral scutes (Ref. 2849, 5356, 81269, 81631). Number of vertebrae 40-44 (Ref. 5356).

Colouration: Back blue/green, sides silvery, with a faint oval spot a short distance behind gill opening; golden areas on upper part of head; anterior dorsal finrays dark, rest of fin yellow, except at base; anal fin yellow at base; caudal fin deep chrome yellow, but upper edge and hind margin grey (Ref. 187). Alcohol-preserved specimens are silvery, with the back brownish to greenish; a rounded black spot behind the upper part of operculum, sometimes followed by one or more, less visible, spots aligned in a longitudinal series (Ref. 188, 2849, 2849, 81269, 81631).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Ethmalosa fimbriata

Lateral Lines Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line
Pored lateral line scales
Scales in lateral series 37 - 45
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 108 - 108
Vertebrae
preanal
total 40 - 44

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes no striking attributes
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total 0 - 0
Soft-rays total 16 - 19
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes forked; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 0 - 0
Soft-rays total 19 - 25

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   15 - 15
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    abdominal  beneath origin of D1
Spines     0
Soft-rays   8 - 8
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