| Main Ref. | Johnson, G.D. and R. Britz, 2005 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral (shape guide) | short and / or deep |
| Cross section | angular |
| Dorsal head profile | |
| Type of eyes | |
| Type of mouth/snout | |
| Position of mouth | |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
This species is easily distinguished from superficially similar tetraodontid and diodontid larvae or early juveniles of comparable size by the following characters: separate premaxillae in conjunction with fused dentaries; with multicuspid spinoid scales; a jet-black mark in front of the soft dorsal fin; the developing pelvis, which is visible through the distended skin of the belly; with a number of procurrent caudal fin rays. It differs from the adult in having a huge head that measures 45% SL (vs. 28.5-32.7% in adult), absence of the characteristic dewlap with the conspicuous lateral ocellus, and structures of the scales and nostrils (Ref. 54815). Body yellowish-brown; belly flap white except for a yellow area around a black blotch (Ref. 4419). |
| 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 | |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | |
| Fins number | |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total | 10 - 12 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 9 - 10 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 14 - 16 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes suppressed/absent |
| Position | |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 0 - 0 |