| Main Ref. | Randall, J.E. and R. Lubbock, 1981 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | always different morphology between mature adults |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| 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 |
Emarginate caudal fin become lunate in males; 2-6 soft dorsal rays of males greatly prolonged (the odd-numbered rays beginning with the first); may be slightly prolonged in females (not so in Philippine adult females); non filamentous rays approximately equal in length (Ref. 2139). Tubed peduncular scales 5.9; side of body with four or five narrow red to blue stripes, only the first and third extending full length of body (Ref. 41634). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 1 Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 18 - 26 |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | |
| Scale rows below lateral line | |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | 16 - 16 |
| Barbels | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | 13 - 16 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total | 25 - 25 |
| Attributes | other |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | 9 - 9 |
| Soft-rays total | 11 - 11 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 9 - 9 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 14 - 14 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic behind origin of D1 | |
| Spines 1 | |
| Soft-rays 5 - 5 |