Morphology Data of Thalassoma trilobatum
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Westneat, M.W., 2001
Appearance refers to Male; Female
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks Head of terminal male orange-brown without bands. Caudal fin of terminal male brownish to greenish, shading distally to pink, the posterior third of rays blue (Ref 9823).

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features none
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 terminal
Type of scales cycloid scales
Diagnosis

This species is distinguished by the following characters: greatest body depth 2.7-3.6 in SL; pectoral fin rays usually 16; lateral line scales 25; total gill rakers on first gill arch 17-24 (modally 20); caudal fin of initial phase slightly rounded to truncate, of terminal males truncate to slightly double emaginate; Body of initial (female) phase greenish grey to pale green with 5-6 dark saddles on back, pair of dark (sometimes diffused) stripes on side, a dark vertical line on most scales of body, and with a diagonal (or C-shaped) pink to dark red below front of eye; while body of terminal male salmon-pink to orange anteriorly, with 2 longitudinal series of vertical green rectangles, every fourth pair of upper series extending as a single green bar across back, the head orange-brown without bands and caudal fin brownish to greenish, shading distally to pink, the posterior third of rays blue (Ref. 9823, 86689, 90102).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Thalassoma trilobatum

Lateral Lines 1 Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line 25 - 26
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 17 - 24
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes no striking attributes
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 8 - 8
Soft-rays total 13 - 13
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 3 - 3
Soft-rays total 11 - 11

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   15 - 17
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    thoracic  beneath origin of D1
Spines     
Soft-rays   
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