| Main Ref. | Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall, 1993 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| 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 | |
| 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 |
Maxilla without scales. Preopercle with rounded, only slightly enlarged, spines at its angle. Opercle with 3 flat spines, middle one the largest. Pelvic fins shorter than pectorals and shorter than longest dorsal spine. Bases of soft dorsal and anal fins covered with scales and thick skin. 2 or 3 dark saddles along base of dorsal fin and another on top of caudal peduncle. Tan with red spots on head, body and fins, spots becoming larger ventrally (Ref. 26938); characterized further by: body depth less than head length, 2.6-3.2 times in SL; head length 2.1-2.5 in SL; interorbital area flat or slightly concave; preopercle evenly serrate; smooth subopercle and interopercle; subequal posterior and anterior nostrils (Ref. 089707). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 1 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) | absent |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | no striking attributes |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 11 - 11 |
| Soft-rays total | 16 - 17 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 8 - 8 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays 18 - 19 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position abdominal behind origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |