| Main Ref. | Randall, J.E., 1980 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | always different morphology between mature adults |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| 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 | cycloid scales |
| Diagnosis |
Fresh male specimens reddish brown dorsally, reddish ventrally; head with green bands; upper opercle with a large blue-edged black spot, rimmed with blue and red; 3 succession of spots behind eye. Large females may be similar in color with males but with a black spot on branched caudal rays; smaller ones have 3 black spots on dorsal fin base. Anterior lateral line scales with 2-7 pores, more in larger adults; 9-13 suborbital pores. Pelvic fins reaching or nearly reaching anus in large adults. |
| 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 | 4 - 6 |
| Scale rows below lateral line | 9 - 10 |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | 19 - 21 |
| Barbels | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | 14 - 18 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total | 25 - 25 |
| Attributes | extending over most of the back length |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| 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 | 12 - 12 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 13 - 13 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic behind origin of D1 | |
| Spines 1 | |
| Soft-rays 5 - 5 |