| Main Ref. | Randall, J.E., 1980 |
| Appearance refers to | Male; Female |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | always different morphology between mature adults |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| 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 | cycloid scales |
| Diagnosis |
In life, body bright yellow, head and thorax yellow-orange; a spot behind eye; head with irregular light-green bands. Dorsal fin of males with a large black, white-rimmed spot at the first interspinous membrane (another spot may appear on the soft portion between 2nd and 3rd rays for smaller males); females with a second black, light yellow-rimmed spot; smaller females and juveniles with a third blackish spot on penultimate membrane. Anterior lateral line scales with 2-4 pores; 6-12 suborbital pores. Pelvic fins not reaching anus. |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 1 Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 28 - 28 |
| Pored lateral line scales | 28 - 28 |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | 5 - 5 |
| Scale rows below lateral line | 10 - 10 |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | 20 - 20 |
| Barbels | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | 14 - 19 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total | 25 - 25 |
| Attributes | extending over most of the back length |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | 9 - 9 |
| Soft-rays total | 12 - 12 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 11 - 12 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 12 - 14 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic behind origin of D1 | |
| Spines 1 | |
| Soft-rays 5 - 5 |