| Main Ref. | Hutchins, J.B., 1986 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral | short and / or deep |
| 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 | terminal |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
Body and head color variable. Blackish to dark bluish branchial blotch extending dorsally to level well above the lower margin of eye and may include ventrally the pectoral fin base and axil. Iris usually dark brown. Orange to red caudal fin soft dorsal and anal fins clear, orange or yellow with spots; pectorals clear. Scale spinulation at midbody closely packed. Male scale ridge rugosities develop at about 80 mm SL developed. Strong first dorsal spine. Large pelvic fin rudiment narrowly attached to posterior margin of ventral flap. |
| 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) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | other |
| Fins number | 2 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | 1 - 2 |
| Soft-rays total | 29 - 34 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 26 - 30 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 10 - 14 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes other (see diagnosis) |
| Position abdominal behind origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |