| Main Ref. | Myers, R.F., 1991 |
| Appearance refers to | Male; Female |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | no special organs |
| Different appearance | males alike females |
| Different colors | males alike females |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | none |
| Body shape lateral | fusiform / normal |
| Cross section | compressed |
| Dorsal head profile | more or less straight |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | terminal |
| Type of scales | cycloid scales |
| Diagnosis |
Body silvery with 6-8 irregular, faint dusky oblique and vertical bands dorsolaterally and ventrolaterally (usually more apparent in young stressed or preserved specimens. U-shaped premaxilla groove mostly without scales (tiny scales anteriorly in specimens over 13 cm SL). Posterior margin of maxillary beyond a vertical through anterior margin of pupil. Supraneural bones 3. Spinous dorsal fin with an indistinct dusky patch (2nd-6th spines) and very narrow dusky distal margins on upper membranes between spines. Scales between 5th dorsal fin spine and lateral line 3-4, usually 3.5. Pelvic fin when fresh is semi-transparent or dull yellow color with an indistinct dusky band and dull white distal margin posteriorly (Ref. 35850); pectoral fins reaches beyond level of anus; caudal fin forked deeply and with long lobes (Ref. 90102). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 1 Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 35 - 39 |
| Pored lateral line scales | 35 - 40 |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | 4.5 - 5.5 |
| Scale rows below lateral line | 8.5 - 11.5 |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | 8 - 8 |
| on upper limb | 6 - 6 |
| total | 14 - 14 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | extending over most of the back length |
| Fins number | 1notched No |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 9 - 9 |
| Soft-rays total | 10 - 10 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | forked; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 7 - 7 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 15 - 17 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic beneath origin of D1 | |
| Spines 1 | |
| Soft-rays 5 - 5 |