| Main Ref. | Myers, R.F., 1991 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral (shape guide) | fusiform / normal |
| Cross section | |
| Dorsal head profile | |
| Type of eyes | |
| Type of mouth/snout | |
| Position of mouth | |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
Description: Juveniles become somewhat deeper-bodied with growth and at a size of 14-16 cm, loose the lower stripe and develop a cream-colored belly (Ref. 37816). Described from a 10-cm juvenile which is orange with broad black stripes, one running mid-laterally and the other along upper two-thirds of sides, with narrow yellow stripe in between, ventrally whitish to orange; caudal fin with alternating bands black and orange. Adults mainly grey with white speckles; fins spinous dorsal yellow, soft dorsal broad black on anterior, pelvic and anal black, caudal spotted small and large, black (Ref. 48635, 90102). Lips very thick. Body depth 2.5-3.2 in SL. Dorsal 3rd to 5th spines longest. Caudal fin rounded in juveniles becoming emarginate in adults. |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 55 - 60 |
| Pored lateral line scales | 58 - 58 |
| Scales in lateral series | 72 - 85 |
| 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 | 19 - 23 |
| on upper limb | 6 - 9 |
| total | 28 - 30 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | 13 - 13 |
| Soft-rays total | 17 - 18 |
| Adipose fin |
| Attributes | more or less truncate |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 7 - 7 |
| Pectoral | Attributes |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 17 - 17 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes |
| Position | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |