Morphology Data of Microlophichthys microlophus
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Pietsch, T.W., 2009
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features
Body shape lateral
Cross section
Dorsal head profile
Type of eyes
Type of mouth/snout
Position of mouth
Type of scales
Diagnosis

Metamorphosed females distinguished by the following characteristics: wide ethmoid cartilage and vomer, wider than distance between anterolateral tips of lateral ethmoids and frontals; presence of vomerine teeth; large and nearly circular nasal foramina; frontals short, lying posterior to the ethmoid region, dorsal margin convex; ventromedial extensions of frontals approach each other on midline, making contact with parasphenoid; frontals separated from prootics; presence of pterosphenoid; anterior end of illicial trough wider and shallower than posterior end; well developed sphenotic spines; symphysial cartilage of upper jaw longer than wide; lower jaw with well developed symphisial spine; hyomandibula with double head; well developed quadrate spine, longer than articular spine; deeply notched posterior margin of opercle; short and broad subopercle, dorsal end rounded or tapering to a blunt point, ventral end nearly circular; first pharyngobranchial reduced to a tiny remnant; absence of second hypobranchial; caudal fin rays without internal pigmentation; extremely short illicium, approximately equal to length of escal bulb; pterygiophore of illicium cylindrical throughout, emerging on snout from between frontal bones, anterior end barely exposed, posterior end concealed beneath the skin; first ray of dorsal fin well developed; dorsal fin rays 5-7; anal fin rays 4-6; short and broad pectoral fin lobe, shorter than longest rays of pectoral fin; pectoral fin rays 18-20; coracoid lacking posteroventral process; simple pelvic bones, with or without distal expansion; skin smooth and naked, without dermal spinules; darkly pigmented skin of caudal peduncle extends well past base of caudal fin (Ref. 86949).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Microlophichthys microlophus

Lateral Lines Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line
Pored lateral line scales
Scales in lateral series
Scale rows above lateral line
Scale rows below lateral line
Scales around caudal peduncle
Barbels
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb
on upper limb
total
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes
Fins number
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total
Soft-rays total 5 - 7
Adipose fin

Caudal fin

Attributes

Anal fin(s)

Fins number
Spines total
Soft-rays total 4 - 6

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  
Spines     
Soft-rays   18 - 20
Pelvics Attributes  
Position    
Spines     
Soft-rays   
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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