Morphology Summary - Opistognathus megalops
Morphology Data of Opistognathus megalops
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Smith-Vaniz, W.F., 2023
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features
Body shape lateral  (shape guide) elongated
Cross section compressed
Dorsal head profile
Type of eyes
Type of mouth/snout
Position of mouth
Type of scales
Diagnosis

This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: elongate upper jaw extending to rear margin of preopercle (about 1.1 eye diameters behind posterior margin of orbit) and with large oval supramaxilla and flexible lamina posteriorly; infraorbitals moderately slender and tubular, 3rd infraorbital with posterolateral projecting arm ending with large sensory canal opening, suborbital shelf absent; D XI, 11; A II, 11; vertebrae 10+16; scale rows in horizontal series about 52 or 56; gill rakers 12+26; anal, caudal and pelvic fins mostly yellow and body with three purple stripes (Ref. 128653).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Opistognathus megalops

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 10 - 10
total 26 - 26

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes
Fins number
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total 11 - 11
Soft-rays total 11 - 11
Adipose fin

Caudal fin  (shape guide)

Attributes

Anal fin(s)

Fins number
Spines total 2 - 2
Soft-rays total 11 - 11

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  
Spines     
Soft-rays   20 - 20
Pelvics Attributes  
Position    
Spines     
Soft-rays   
(e.g. 9948)
(e.g. oophagy)
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