Morphology Data of Thalassoma bifasciatum
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Randall, J.E., 1996
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 fusiform / normal
Cross section
Dorsal head profile
Type of eyes
Type of mouth/snout
Position of mouth
Type of scales
Diagnosis

Body elongate; 3 primary color phases, the smallest with a black mid-lateral stripe which continues as pale red blotches on head; back above stripe yellow on reef fish and whitish on fish from inshore non-reef areas, and body below white. The largest phase, has a bright blue head and a green body with two broad vertical black bars anteriorly which are separated by a light blue interspace; this phase is always male. The small yellow phase with the black stripe may be either male or female (Ref. 13442).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Thalassoma bifasciatum

Lateral Lines Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line
Pored lateral line scales 26 - 26
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 17 - 21
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes
Fins number
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total 8 - 8
Soft-rays total 12 - 13
Adipose fin

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number
Spines total 3 - 3
Soft-rays total 10 - 11

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  
Spines     
Soft-rays   14 - 15
Pelvics Attributes  
Position    
Spines     
Soft-rays   
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
Comments & Corrections
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