| Main Ref. | Myers, R.F., 1991 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | striking shape of body |
| Body shape lateral | elongated |
| Cross section | compressed |
| Dorsal head profile | more or less straight |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | tube-like |
| Position of mouth | terminal |
| Diagnosis |
Recognized by hinged part of dorsal fin spine. Variable in color with habitat. Greenish-yellow with diffused stripe when in seagrass environment. Pale with black stripe when found on open substrate with white sand or rubble (Ref. 48635). Description: Characterized by extremely thin or flattened and nearly transparent body; snout through eye, to base of caudal fin with dark brown to blackish stripe; horizontal first dorsal spine, projecting beyond tail tip, posterior part with movable segment; striated interorbital without groove (Ref. 90102). |
| 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 | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 9 - 10 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | pointed; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 12 - 12 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays 11 - 12 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position abdominal | |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 4 - 4 |