| Main Ref. | Allen, G.R., 1991 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | none |
| Body shape lateral | short and / or deep |
| Cross section | compressed |
| Dorsal head profile | clearly convex |
| 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 |
Juveniles are reddish orange above, with small bright blue spots on forehead and dark spots at upper pectoral fin base, dorsal fin, and caudal peduncle; colors disappear as fish grows larger (Ref. 26938). Adults dark gray to blackish with vertical black lines on body; a black spot, sometimes diffuse, at upper base of pectoral fins which are pale; other fins dark (Ref. 13442). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 1 Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 18 - 21 |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | |
| Scale rows below lateral line | |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | 9 - 10 |
| on upper limb | |
| total | 16 - 18 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | no striking attributes |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 12 - 12 |
| Soft-rays total | 14 - 17 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | forked; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 2 - 2 |
| Soft-rays total | 13 - 15 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 20 - 22 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic beneath origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |