Morphology Data of Scolopsis margaritifera
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Russell, B.C., 1990
Appearance refers to Male; Female
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs no special organs
Different appearance males alike females
Different colors males alike females
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features none
Body shape lateral fusiform / normal
Cross section oval
Dorsal head profile clearly convex
Type of eyes more or less normal
Type of mouth/snout more or less normal
Position of mouth terminal
Type of scales ctenoid scales
Diagnosis

Head scales reaching to or almost to posterior nostrils. Lower limb of preopercle scaly. Antrorse (forward-directed) suborbital spine absent. Pelvic fins long, reaching almost to or beyond level of origin of anal fin. Color: Upper body olive, white below. 2 pearly white stripes on snout in front of eyes. Lower lobe of caudal fin reddish. Juveniles white, with a narrow black stripe along back (only on some specimens) and black midlateral stripe. Some with a yellowish ventral surface. Presence of a black spot between first four dorsal spines. Some color variation between Indian and Pacific populations: juveniles lack yellow stripe in the Indian Ocean population and adults show a contrasting dark back compared to Pacific form (Ref. 48635).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Scolopsis margaritifera

Lateral Lines 1 Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line 35 - 39
Pored lateral line scales
Scales in lateral series
Scale rows above lateral line 3 - 5.5
Scale rows below lateral line 12 - 18
Scales around caudal peduncle
Barbels 0
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) absent
Gill rakers
on lower limb
on upper limb
total 8 - 12
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes no striking attributes
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 10 - 10
Soft-rays total 9 - 9
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes forked; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 3 - 3
Soft-rays total 7 - 7

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   16 - 17
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    thoracic  behind origin of D1
Spines     1
Soft-rays   5 - 5
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