| Main Ref. | Carpenter, K.E. and V.H. Niem (eds.), 2001 |
| Appearance refers to | Male; Female |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | no special organs |
| Different appearance | males alike females |
| Different colors | males alike females |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | none |
| Body shape lateral (shape guide) | 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 | ctenoid scales |
| Diagnosis |
This species is distinguished by the following characters: a single postmaxillary process; D X, usually 14 soft rays; A III, usually 11soft rays; supratemporal band of scales generally interrupted at dorsal midline by a narrow scaleless zone; lateral line scales modally 49; scales above lateral line to dorsal -fin origin 7-10 (modally 8), below lateral line to anal-fin origin 14-19; predorsal scales 20-26; greatest body depth 2.2-3.1 in SL, head length 2.7-3.4 in SL; colour of body bluish, belly paler than upper sides; tips of caudal fin lobes, axil of pectoral fins, and upper base of pectoral fins black; caudal fin blue (except in juveniles where caudal fin and portions of caudal peduncle often yellow); pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins white to pale blue (pink or reddish after death); dorsal fin bluish (Ref. 68703, 90102). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 1 Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 45 - 53 |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | 7 - 10 |
| Scale rows below lateral line | 14 - 19 |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | 22 - 28 |
| Barbels | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | 19 - 19 |
| on upper limb | 9 - 9 |
| total | 28 - 28 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | extending over most of the back length |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 10 - 10 |
| Soft-rays total | 13 - 15 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | forked; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 10 - 11 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 18 - 20 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic beneath origin of D1 | |
| Spines 1 | |
| Soft-rays 5 - 5 |