| Main Ref. | Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene, 1990 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | none |
| Body shape lateral | fusiform / normal |
| 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 | |
| Diagnosis |
Description: Juveniles (under 25 cm) dorsal black with spots few large white and saddle on forehead, middle of dorsal fin, and across caudal peduncle, ventral white. Adults white with numerous small dark spots extending to dorsal, anal and caudal fins (Ref. 37816, 90102). Changes from bold black and white pattern to a whitish grey with numerous small black spots over most of the upper body and fins (Ref. 2334). Opercle margin upper rear edge black. Lips very thick in adults. Body depth 2.7-3.1 in SL. Dorsal fin 3rd or 4th spines longest. Caudal fin slightly rounded in juveniles, slightly emarginate in adults (Ref. 90102). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 1 Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 70 - 75 |
| Pored lateral line scales | 70 - 75 |
| 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 | 23 - 25 |
| on upper limb | 8 - 10 |
| total | 31 - 35 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | no striking attributes |
| Fins number | 1notched No |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 12 - 14 |
| Soft-rays total | 17 - 20 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 7 - 8 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 17 - 18 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic beneath origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |