| Main Ref. | Costa, W.J.E.M., 2008 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral (shape guide) | elongated |
| Cross section | |
| Dorsal head profile | |
| Type of eyes | |
| Type of mouth/snout | |
| Position of mouth | |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
Rivulus giarettai differs from all other species of the subgenus Melanorivulus by possessing a unique color pattern on flank in males, in which red pigmentation is arranged to form a vermiculate pattern. It is similar to species endemic to the central Brazilian plateau in having ventral process of angulo-articular vestigial, first epibranchial curved, and flank intense greenish blue or greenish golden, to purplish blue above anal-fin base in males; it differs from central Brazilian plateau species by a combination of reduction of black pigmentation on head and humeral region in males, 34-36 scales on the longitudinal series, 30-32 caudal-fin rays, 3-4 vomerine teeth, and caudal fin with bars in both sexes. |
| 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 | |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | |
| Fins number | |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total | |
| Adipose fin |
| Attributes |
| Fins number | |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total |
| Pectoral | Attributes |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays | |
| Pelvics | Attributes |
| Position | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |