| Main Ref. | Myers, R.F., 1999 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral | elongated |
| Cross section | compressed |
| Dorsal head profile | |
| Type of eyes | |
| Type of mouth/snout | |
| Position of mouth | |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
Thick dark bar under the eye, a short dark bar on the tail base, and a black spot at the front of first dorsal fin (Ref. 37816); characterized further by prolonged fourth dorsal spine, forming long filament in adult; longitudinal scale series 24; ctenoid scales on body, becoming cycloid anterior to pelvic and pectoral fins; 3-7 spines on rear edge of preopercle, lowermost often larger than others; rounded caudal fin; depth of body 3.7-4.0 in SL (Ref. 90102). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | 24 - 24 |
| 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 | 8 - 9 |
| on upper limb | 3 - 4 |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | |
| Fins number | 2 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 7 - 7 |
| Soft-rays total | 9 - 10 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 1 - 1 |
| Soft-rays total | 9 - 9 |
| Pectoral | Attributes |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 17 - 20 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes |
| Position thoracic beneath origin of D1 | |
| Spines 1 | |
| Soft-rays 5 - 5 |