| Main Ref. | Whitehead, P.J.P., 1985 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | no special organs |
| Different appearance | males alike females |
| Different colors | males alike females |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | striking fins |
| 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 |
Body moderately deep and compressed; posterior edge of gill openings with two clearly visible, fleshy, protuberances; gill rakers numerous, 41 to 69 on ceratobranchial (in fish longer than 14 cm total length); last dorsal ray elongated and filamentous; back gray-green with silver-white flanks and a black spot behind the gill slit followed by a yellow lateral strip (Ref. 55763). The filamentous last dorsal fin ray distinguishes it from members of any other eastern Pacific clupeoid genus. Separated from other eastern Pacific Opisthonema by having 41 to 69 lower gill rakers in fishes over 14 cm standard length. |
| 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 | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | absent |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | 41 - 69 |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | last fin rays very elongated |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 13 - 21 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | forked; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 12 - 23 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position abdominal behind origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays 7 - 10 |