| Main Ref. | Lévêque, C., 2003 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | no special organs |
| Different appearance | different morphology in juveniles and adults |
| Different colors | different colors in juveniles and adults |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | striking type of mouth |
| Body shape lateral | fusiform / normal |
| Cross section | compressed |
| Dorsal head profile | clearly concave |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | sub-terminal/inferior |
| Type of scales | cycloid scales |
| Diagnosis |
Diagnosis: last simple ray partly ossified at base (no strong spine) and distinctly longer than head; lower reduced, substituted by horny sheath; 9-12 (usually 10) dorsal fin branched rays; scale formula 3.5-4.5/23-29/3.5-4.5; 2 scales between lateral line and pelvic-fin base; 12 scales around caudal peduncle (Ref. 2940, 81282). Description: mouth inferior and broad; barbels very short, especially the anterior part; posterior barbels only 7-15% of head length; scales with striae converging posteriorly; dorsal fin long, with last simple ray ossified at base and as long as head in juveniles, but distinctly longer in adults; D:IV,9-12; A:III,5; P:I,14-16; V:I,8 (Ref. 2940, 81282). Coloration: uniformly greyish black to greenish, lighter on belly; fins usually dark grey; young individuals with marbling on sides (Ref. 2940, 81282). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 1 Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 23 - 29 |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | 3 - 5 |
| Scale rows below lateral line | 3 - 5 |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | 12 - 12 |
| Barbels | 4 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | 3 - 5 |
| on upper limb | 14 - 16 |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | no striking attributes |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total | 13 - 16 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | forked; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total | 8 - 8 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays 15 - 17 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position abdominal beneath origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays 9 - 9 |