Main Ref. | McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm, 1998 |
Appearance refers to | |
Bones in OsteoBase |
Specialized organs | |
Different appearance | |
Different colors | |
Remarks |
Striking features | |
Body shape lateral | elongated |
Cross section | |
Dorsal head profile | |
Type of eyes | |
Type of mouth/snout | |
Position of mouth | |
Type of scales | |
Diagnosis |
Body black, elongate and slender; depth 5-8% SL. Long, tapering protrusible snout. Slender barbel stem and two terminal bulbs. Barbel stem has little or no external pigment (Ref. 37039). Two terminal bulbs separated by a short interspace, less than half to 1.5 the length of distal bulb. Barbel length increasing to 70-91% SL in specimens 10.5-15 cm, apparently decreasing in large females (17.9-25.3 cm) to 46-51%. Terminal filament short (9% SL or less, slightly longer to 5 times longer than distal bulb) with 2 well-developed side branches arising just distal to bulb and often other branches along its length. All branches with prominent internal bulblets, some nearly the same diameter as branch, resulting in a series of swellings in many specimens. No melanophores in stem, between bulbs, or in filaments in specimens up to 15 cm SL; none between bulbs at any size. Middorsal paired spots under skin between occiput and dorsal-fin origin usually 8, sometimes 7 (Ref. 11333). |
Ease of Identification |
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 |
Attributes | |
Fins number | |
Finlets No. | Dorsal |
Ventral | |
Spines total | |
Soft-rays total | 21 - 25 |
Adipose fin |
Attributes | forked; more or less normal |
Fins number | |
Spines total | |
Soft-rays total | 35 - 42 |
Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
Spines | |
Soft-rays 3 - 3 | |
Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
Position | |
Spines | |
Soft-rays 7 - 7 |