Morphology Data of Epinephelus fuscoguttatus
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall, 1993
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features none
Body shape lateral fusiform / normal
Cross section compressed
Dorsal head profile clearly convex
Type of eyes more or less normal
Type of mouth/snout more or less normal
Position of mouth superior
Type of scales ctenoid scales
Diagnosis

This species is distinguished by the following characters: body moderately deep, its depth 2.6-2.9 in SL (for specimens 11-55 cm SL); head length 2.3-2.5 in SL; interorbital area flat or slightly concave; dorsal head profile of adults indented at eyes and distinctly convex from there to dorsal-fin origin; rounded preopercle, finely serrate; upper edge of operculum distinctly convex, descending almost vertically to rear end of operculum; ventral edge of preorbital bone indented below nostrils; maxilla extends well posterior to eye; midlateral part of lower jaw with 3 or 4 rows of teeth; posterior nostrils triangular, 4-7 times larger than anteriors in adults; gill rakers on first gill arch 10-12 + 17-21 (rudiments often difficult to count), gill rakers short and stout, raker at angle subequal to longest gill filaments, other rakers distinctly shorter; cycloid scales except ctenoid in juvenile; body with auxiliary scales; caudal fin rounded; pectoral-fin rays 18-20; lateral-line scales 52 to 58. Colour: pale yellowish brown, with 5 vertical series of dark brown blotches that are very irregular in outline; head, body, and fins covered with close-set small brown spots, those on the dark blotches much darker than spots in between blotches; caudal peduncle with small black saddle dorsally; 2 or 3 faint, dark bars at side of jaws (Ref. 39231, 89707).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Epinephelus fuscoguttatus

Lateral Lines 1 Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line 52 - 58
Pored lateral line scales
Scales in lateral series 102 - 115
Scale rows above lateral line
Scale rows below lateral line
Scales around caudal peduncle
Barbels 0
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb 17 - 21
on upper limb 10 - 12
total 27 - 33
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes no striking attributes
Fins number 1notched No
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 11 - 11
Soft-rays total 14 - 15
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 3 - 3
Soft-rays total 8 - 8

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   18 - 20
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    thoracic  beneath origin of D1
Spines     
Soft-rays   
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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