Main Ref. | Smith, D.G., 1997 |
Appearance refers to | |
Bones in OsteoBase |
Specialized organs | no special organs |
Different appearance | males alike females |
Different colors | males alike females |
Remarks |
Striking features | none |
Body shape lateral | elongated |
Cross section | circular |
Dorsal head profile | more or less straight |
Type of eyes | more or less normal |
Type of mouth/snout | sucker-like |
Position of mouth | sub-terminal/inferior |
Type of scales | |
Diagnosis |
Tail slender and tapering to a point. Mouth inferior, small and sucker-like; upper lip with thick, pleated folds; posterior end of maxilla bent sharply downward, forming a flap-like structure; fleshy papillae on snout bordering upper lip. Teeth absent. Dorsal fin short-based, located above anus, the first 4-6 rays hard and spinous, increasing in length from front to back, the remainder soft and segmented, membrane connecting all rays except for first I-III spines. Anal fin long, extending from just behind anus to tip of tail, anterior rays spinous, posterior rays segmented, the transition gradual. Caudal fin absent (Ref. 11041). Light brown, lining of gill chamber and rim of opercular branchiostegal flap dark brown, mouth and lining of buccal cavity light yellowish tan (Ref. 37108). |
Ease of Identification | easy to distinguish from other species. |
Lateral Lines | 1 Interrupted: No |
Scales on lateral line | |
Pored lateral line scales | 121 - 135 |
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 | 228 - 234 |
Attributes | no striking attributes |
Fins number | 1 |
Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
Ventral 0 - 0 | |
Spines total | 6 - 8 |
Soft-rays total | 4 - 5 |
Adipose fin | absent |
Attributes | pointed |
Fins number | 1 |
Spines total | 44 - 58 |
Soft-rays total | 67 - 88 |
Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
Spines 0 | |
Soft-rays 12 - 14 | |
Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
Position abdominal before origin of D1 | |
Spines 3 | |
Soft-rays 6 - 8 |