Main Ref. | Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall, 1993 |
Appearance refers to | |
Bones in OsteoBase |
Specialized organs | |
Different appearance | |
Different colors | |
Remarks |
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: four color patterns, first is brown phase with head and body pale brown covered with small reddish brown spots that extend onto median fins, second is cat's paw phase with pale brown body color with dorsolateral parts of body having several clusters of dark brown spots resembling the paw print of a cat, third is with large adults with grey-head phase with the rear two-thirds of the body dark, head and body anterior to the 6th dorsal-fin spine in silvery grey with dark reticulations and fourth is bicoloured phase with pale brown anteriorly and abruptly dark chocolate brown posteriorly; depth of body contained 3.0-3.4 times in SL; head length 2.6-3.0 times in SL; convex interorbital area; angular preopercle, angle with distinct bony lobe; serrate interopercle and subopercle; posterior nostrils of adults 2-4 times larger than anterior ones (Ref. 89707). |
Ease of Identification |
Lateral Lines | 1 Interrupted: No |
Scales on lateral line | 76 - 82 |
Pored lateral line scales | |
Scales in lateral series | 124 |
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 | 26 - 31 |
on upper limb | 17 - 21 |
total | 43 - 52 |
Vertebrae | |
preanal | |
total |
Attributes | no striking attributes |
Fins number | 1notched No |
Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
Ventral 0 - 0 | |
Spines total | 11 - 11 |
Soft-rays total | 16 - 18 |
Adipose fin | absent |
Attributes | more or less truncate |
Fins number | 1 |
Spines total | 3 - 3 |
Soft-rays total | 10 - 12 |
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 |