| Main Ref. | Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr, 2011 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral | fusiform / normal |
| Cross section | |
| Dorsal head profile | |
| Type of eyes | |
| Type of mouth/snout | |
| Position of mouth | |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
Gila coerulea can be distinguished by the following characters: large eye; pointed snout; terminal mouth extending to front of eye; fairly slender, compressed body, slender caudal peduncle; 58-71 scales on lateral line; 9 dorsal rays; 8-9 anal rays; pharyngeal teeth 2,5-5,2; body generally dusky olive above; silver blue side; and breeding males with blue snout, orange side and fins (Ref. 86798). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 58 - 71 |
| 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 | no striking attributes |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total | 9 - 9 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | forked |
| Fins number | |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total | 8 - 9 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position abdominal | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |