Total vertebrae 37-42; first dorsal spines 3-6; pectoral fin rays 13-15; anal fin rays 5-7; dorsal and anal finfold pigment pattern, in particular, the small patch just posterior to the anus, which by postflexion stage forms a stripe connecting the first and second lateral body bars ventrally; rounded patch covers most of caudal fin; body elongate (BD about 11% BL); parietals somewhat pointed; notochord flexion by about 7 mm.
Pigmentation:
Preflexion: On upper and lower jaws, snout, isthmus, opercular and hyoid regions (bearded appearance); on pectoral fin base; over gut and most of body, except absent from dorsal midline above pectoral fin and occasionally at notochord tip; usually 5 triangular-shaped patches in dorsal finfold and 3 in anal finfold; caudal finfold nearly covered by semicircular patch that connects with dorsal and anal finfold patches.
Flexion: Dorsolateral body pigment recedes ventrally.
Postflexion-juvenile: 7 vertical bars on body; first and second bars connected ventrally by a stripe; bars extending onto posterior halves of first dorsal fin, second dorsal fin, and anal fin; rounded patch covering most of caudal fin; in juveniles, stripe from snout tip to eye.
Sequence of fin development: pectoral fin, caudal fin, second dorsal fin and anal fin, first dorsal fin, pelvic fin. |