Morphology Data of Acanthemblemaria hastingsi
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Lin, H.-C. and G.R. Galland, 2010
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks Males' shape of genital papilla is pointed and simple (vs. broader and fimbriate in females). Orbital diameter consistently fits fewer times into snout length of females than males (P<0.0001, unpaired t-test), and orbital diameter fits fewer times in head length in females than in males (P<0.0001). Females seem more slender, with body depth fitting in standard length more times than in males (P<0.001). No noticeable differences in head pore pattern and count or in meristics and body shape also differ slightly (Ref. 84469).

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

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

This species is distinguished from its congeners in the Pacific, excluding its closest relatives, A. macrospilus and A. mangognatha, by having a single row of large brown blotches along its lateral midline and head spines that are pointed (vs. club-like or ridge-like). It differs from the 2 latter species by having a dark swath of melanophores on the dorsal fin in both males and females that highlights the bright orange coloration on that fin; presence of scattered melanophores reaching the tip of the lower jaw; and expression of orange as the primary bright head color. This species is further distinguishable from A. macrospilus by the 71 fixed mutations in COI and 20 fixed mutations in the D-loop region of its mitochondrial genome (Ref, 84469).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Acanthemblemaria hastingsi

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 11 - 12
total 42 - 44

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total 23 - 25
Soft-rays total 12 - 14
Adipose fin

Caudal fin

Attributes

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 2 - 2
Soft-rays total

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  
Spines     
Soft-rays   13 - 13
Pelvics Attributes  
Position    
Spines     1
Soft-rays   3 - 3
Back to Search
Comments & Corrections
cfm script by eagbayani, 17.10.00, php script by rolavides, 13/03/08 ,  last modified by sortiz, 06.27.17