| Main Ref. | Hoese, D.F. and J.E. Randall, 1982 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | no special organs |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| 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 | superior |
| Type of scales | cycloid scales |
| Diagnosis |
Scales on thorax and pectoral base small and embedded. Eyes and mouth large. Head pores absent. Angle of jaws 40 degrees. Tan in body color with pale spot on each scale; median fins greenish; 2nd dorsal fin with yellowish brown lines; pectoral fins pointed with tan rays, clear membranes; pelvic fins tan. Adults with dark head band ending on upper margin of preoperculum. Longitudinal scale series 100-115, transverse 24-29. 1st to 3rd dorsal spines of adults greatly prolonged. Median predorsal region scaled forward to above preoperculum. |
| 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 | 13 - 14 |
| on upper limb | 3 - 4 |
| total | 16 - 18 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | 10 - 10 |
| total | 26 - 26 |
| Attributes | other |
| Fins number | 2 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | 7 - 7 |
| Soft-rays total | 12 - 12 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 1 - 1 |
| Soft-rays total | 11 - 11 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 18 - 18 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes joint, cup-like |
| Position thoracic before origin of D1 | |
| Spines 1 | |
| Soft-rays 5 - 5 |