Morphology Summary - Opistognathus nigripinnis
Morphology Data of Opistognathus nigripinnis
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Smith-Vaniz, W.F., 2023
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features
Body shape lateral  (shape guide) elongated
Cross section compressed
Dorsal head profile
Type of eyes
Type of mouth/snout
Position of mouth
Type of scales
Diagnosis

This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: rigid upper jaw with no flexible lamina posteriorly, extending about 1.0 eye diameters behind posterior margin of orbit; D XI, 13; A II, 13; vertebrae 10+18; body with about 39 or 40 scale rows in horizontal series; total gill rakers on first arch 26; dorsal fin uniformly peppered with fine melanophores including a dark spot between spines 3-6; in life, background of body tan, sides with 5 or 6 narrow white zig-zag bands, anal and pelvic fins uniformly peppered with fine melanophores and caudal fin yellow (Ref. 128653).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Opistognathus nigripinnis

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 10 - 10
total 28 - 28

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes
Fins number
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total 11 - 11
Soft-rays total 13 - 13
Adipose fin

Caudal fin  (shape guide)

Attributes

Anal fin(s)

Fins number
Spines total 2 - 2
Soft-rays total 13 - 13

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  
Spines     
Soft-rays   18 - 20
Pelvics Attributes  
Position    
Spines     
Soft-rays   
(e.g. 9948)
(e.g. oophagy)
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