Morphology Data of Bellottia robusta
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Nielsen, J.G., S.W. Ross and D.M. Cohen, 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

Body robust, highest near base of pectoral fin, completely covered with oval, ca.1.5 mm, cycloid scales. Anterior segment of lateral line extending close to dorsal margin of body and from above anus along midline of body. Head profile convex, cheek and gill-cover scaled, while rest of head naked. Mouth slightly oblique with posterior margin of maxillary vertically expanded ending well behind eye. Anterior nostril closer to upper lip than to posterior nostril, both with low rim. Small opercular spine strong and pointed, almostcompletely covered by skin, and not reaching posterior margin of opercle (a few specimens with spine reaching just beyond hind margin of opercle). Ventral margin of preopercle with four distinct spines and one spine on preopercular crest (spine often covered by skin; one specimen with two spines on crest).

Origin of dorsal fin above tip of pectoral fin, anal fin origin just behind midpoint of fish (some specimens with preanal up to 59 % SL). Pectoral fin placed on mid-body level with peduncle higher than long. A distinct spine on cleithrum just above base of pectoral fin (one specimen with spine ending in a blunt tip). Anterior gill arch with 2–3 (2–4) plate-like rakers on upper branch, one long raker in the angle between the two branches and lower branch with 4–5 long rakers, followed by seven (6–9) plate-like rakers. Longest gill filament

slightly shorter than longest raker. Two minute pseudobranchial filaments (Ref. 80456).

Bellottia robusta differs from its congeners by the following combination of characters: depth at origin of anal fin 17.5–23.0 % SL, small teeth blunt or pointed, four spines on hind margin and one on crest of preopercle, distinct spine on cleithrum above base of pectoral fin, anterior gill arch with 5–6 long rakers, predorsal 44.0–49.5 % SL and precaudal vertebrae 12 (Ref. 80456).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Bellottia robusta

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 48 - 51

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes
Fins number
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total
Soft-rays total 85 - 93
Adipose fin

Caudal fin

Attributes

Anal fin(s)

Fins number
Spines total
Soft-rays total 75 - 88

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  
Spines     
Soft-rays   23 - 25
Pelvics Attributes  
Position    
Spines     
Soft-rays   
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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