| Main Ref. | Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall, 1993 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | none |
| Body shape lateral | fusiform / normal |
| Cross section | oval |
| Dorsal head profile | clearly convex |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | superior |
| Type of scales | ctenoid scales |
| Diagnosis |
Distinguished by the following characteristics: Back crossed by about 11 pale narrow lines that slope downward and forward. No other grouper in the Caribbean has the same pattern of narrow pale diagonal lines (Ref. 26938). Further characterized by having depth of body contained 3.1-3.6 times in SL; head length 2.5-2.8 times in SL; flat interorbital area; rounded preopercle, without lobe at angle; diameter of posterior nostrils 3-5 times larger than anterior ones; large teeth, well developed canines (Ref. 89707). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 1 Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 82 - 83 |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | 120 |
| 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 | 11 - 11 |
| on upper limb | 15 - 17 |
| total | 26 - 28 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | no striking attributes |
| Fins number | 1notched No |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 11 - 11 |
| Soft-rays total | 15 - 17 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 11 - 11 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 17 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic beneath origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |