| Main Ref. | Fricke, R., 1994 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | no special organs |
| Different appearance | males alike females |
| Different colors | males alike females |
| Remarks | Males have a slightly higher first dorsal fin than females. |
| Striking features | striking fins |
| Body shape lateral | fusiform / normal |
| Cross section | oval |
| Dorsal head profile | clearly concave |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | terminal |
| Type of scales | ctenoid scales |
| Diagnosis |
19-25 pored scales in the anterior lateral line series, 16-20 notched scales in the posterior series, the second dorsal fin with an ocellate black blotch distally on 4th-6th membranes, the anal fin with about 11 dark streaks, the pelvic fin basally black, rays distally yellowish, with brown spots, and the dorsal fin spines densely covered with small spinules. |
| Ease of Identification | likely to be confused with closely related species. |
| Lateral Lines | 2 Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 35 - 45 |
| Pored lateral line scales | 19 - 25 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 16 - 19 |
| Soft-rays total | 9 - 13 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 2 - 2 |
| Soft-rays total | 20 - 26 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 14 - 16 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes largely reduced to one ray |
| Position jugular behind origin of D1 | |
| Spines 1 | |
| Soft-rays 2 - 2 |