| Main Ref. | Lourie, S.A., A.C.J. Vincent and H.J. Hall, 1999 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | other |
| Different appearance | always different morphology between mature adults |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks | Males with brood pouch; females with ovipositor (Ref. 205). Males have longer tail than females (Ref. 52034). |
| Striking features | striking shape of body |
| Body shape lateral | other |
| Cross section | |
| Dorsal head profile | |
| Type of eyes | |
| Type of mouth/snout | |
| Position of mouth | terminal |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
Description: (based on 40 specimens): Adult height: 4.5-8.0 cm. Rings: 11 + 40 (39-43). Snout length: 3.0 (2.4-3.5). Dorsal fin rays: 20-21 (19-23) covering 3+1 rings. Pectoral fin rays: 14-15 (13-15). Coronet: tall, columnar or knob-like. Spines: irregularly developed, some very low, others very prominent rounded tubercles. Other distinctive characters: with or without mane of thick skin fronds on the head and neck region; mature males have prominent brood pouch. Color pattern: purplish brown or yellowish or reddish; numerous dark-margined ocelli (white spots); often with dark spots or patches, especially on head; ventral surface of tail with paler transverse stripes. |
| 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 | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 19 - 23 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | other (see remark) |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 4 - 4 |
| Pectoral | Attributes used for locomotion |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 13 - 15 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes suppressed/absent |
| Position absent | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |