| Main Ref. | Allen, G.R. and J.H. Talbot, 1985 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| 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 | oval |
| 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 | ctenoid scales |
| Diagnosis |
Dorsal profile of head steeply sloped. Preorbital bone relatively broad, usually much greater than eye diameter. preopercular notch and knob poorly developed. Scale rows on back parallel to lateral line anteriorly. There are distinct color phases with the entire body blackish or with a series of 6 or 7 broad greyish bars on sides. Juveniles usually banded (Ref. 48635). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 1 Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 45 - 47 |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | 5 - 6 |
| Scale rows below lateral line | |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | 9 - 9 |
| on upper limb | 5 - 6 |
| total | 14 - 15 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | no striking attributes |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 10 - 10 |
| Soft-rays total | 13 - 14 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 8 - 8 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 16 - 17 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic before origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |