| Main Ref. | Valdesalici, S., 2019 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral (shape guide) | |
| Cross section | oval |
| Dorsal head profile | |
| Type of eyes | |
| Type of mouth/snout | |
| Position of mouth | |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
This species is similar to M. heterostigma and M. ortegai / M.quiii by the presence of oblique rows of red brown dots on the sides of body in males (vs. absence) and it differs from these species by having a short pectoral fin in males, reaching pelvic fin origin (vs. long pectoral fin, reaching up to seventh anal fin ray); differs from its congeners by the following set of characters - greater numbers of scales in the lateral 40-42 (vs. 32-39), transverse scale series 11-12 (vs. 8-10), circumpeduncular series 22 (vs. 14-20) and, in males, the anal fin with large areas dark yellow and broad orange margin on ventral and posterior portions of caudal fin (vs. brown) (Ref. 130493). |
| 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 | 36 - 36 |
| Attributes | |
| Fins number | |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total | 12 - 12 |
| Adipose fin |
| Attributes |
| Fins number | |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total | 19 - 19 |
| Pectoral | Attributes |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays 14 - 14 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes |
| Position | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays 8 - 8 |