Morphology Data of Epinephelus morrhua
Identification keys
Main Ref. Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall, 1993
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features none
Body shape lateral fusiform / normal
Cross section oval
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
Diagnosis

Distinguished by the following characteristics: head and body tan, with dark brown bands: bifurcate band that begins at rear edge of eye, upper branch extending to a dark brown saddle blotch on the nape just in front of dorsal fin, lower branch running to lower opercular spine and continuing on body as midlateral band that bifurcates above the pectoral fin, upper branch of this band running to a dark blotch at the base of 3rd to 7th dorsal fin rays; dark band from the upper edge of the operculum to base of 5th to 9th dorsal fin spines; narrow band from lower edge of eye to pectoral fin base, continued as broken band along lower part of body and curving up to the dorsal part of peduncle; broad band from maxillary groove to posterior end of interopercle; small dark brown spots often present in the pale areas between bands; depth of body contained 2.8-3.1 times in SL; head length 2.3-2.5 times in SL; flat to moderately convex interorbital area, dorsal head profile slightly convex; shallow indentation on preopercle just above the enlarged serrae at the angle; upper edge of operculum almost straight; maxilla reaches to or past vertical at rear edge of eye; 2 rows of teeth on midlateral part of lower jaw (Ref. 89707).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Epinephelus morrhua

Lateral Lines 1 Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line 55 - 64
Pored lateral line scales
Scales in lateral series 108 - 125
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 15 - 18
on upper limb 8 - 10
total 23 - 28
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes no striking attributes
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 11 - 11
Soft-rays total 14 - 15
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 - 8

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   17 - 18
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    abdominal  beneath origin of D1
Spines     1
Soft-rays   5 - 5
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
Entered by Reyes, Rodolfo B.
Modified by Valdestamon, Roxanne Rei
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cfm script by eagbayani, 17.10.00, php script by rolavides, 13/03/08 ,  last modified by sortiz, 06.27.17