| 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 (shape guide) | short and / or deep |
| Cross section | compressed |
| Dorsal head profile | clearly concave |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | superior |
| Type of scales | cycloid scales |
| Diagnosis |
This species is easily distinguished by its extreme smallness of size of the anterior part of the head as compared to the elevated postorbital part; absence of canine teeth, except for a very small pair at the front of the upper jaw; D X, 17-19; A III, 10 (rarely 9); a slit-like posterior nostril; color greenish white to light greenish brown with scattered round black spots on head, body, and fins, with body spots generally larger than those on head and fins; about 9 large roundish dusky blotches may be present on body, with some extending partly into base of dorsal and anal fins (Ref. 5222); characterized further by having moderately deep body, greatest depth 2.5-3.0 in SL; small eyes; concave dorsal profile of head; rounded caudal fin (Ref. 90102). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 1 Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 54 - 62 |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | 106 - 122 |
| 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 | 13 - 17 |
| on upper limb | 8 - 11 |
| total | 21 - 28 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | no striking attributes |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 10 - 10 |
| Soft-rays total | 17 - 19 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 9 - 10 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 17 - 18 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic behind origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |