| Main Ref. | Murdy, E.O. and D.F. Hoese, 1985 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | protruding genital papilla (m) |
| Different appearance | always different morphology between mature adults |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral (shape guide) | fusiform / normal |
| Cross section | circular |
| Dorsal head profile | clearly convex |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | sub-terminal/inferior |
| Type of scales | cycloid and ctenoid scales |
| Diagnosis |
Color highly variable, brownish on upper half, grading to white below; dark brown scale margins forming honeycomb pattern and midlateral row of double dark brown spots forming rectangular markings (Ref. 90102); segmented and non branching caudal rays 3 (rarely 2), branching 14 (rarely 15). Predorsal cycloid scales 7-10, trunk ctenoid. Few with no black spots on nape. Isthmus narrow, scaled forward to vertical at posterior part of preoperculum. 2 diagonal, dusky lines on operculum; an inverted U-shaped spot prominent at the distal end of upper jaw. Pectoral fin with small dusky spots; 2 longitudinal lines on pectoral base spreading onto it fin rays. Sexual dimorphism exhibited in anal, pelvic and 2nd dorsal fin (Ref. 420). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 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) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | 10 - 10 |
| total | 26 - 26 |
| Attributes | other |
| Fins number | 2 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | 7 - 7 |
| Soft-rays total | 10 - 11 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 1 - 1 |
| Soft-rays total | 9 - 11 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 17 - 19 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes joint, cup-like |
| Position thoracic before origin of D1 | |
| Spines 1 | |
| Soft-rays 5 - 5 |