| Main Ref. | Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene, 1990 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral | eel-like |
| 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 | terminal |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
Basically white with black blotches and interspaces forming a honeycomb pattern (Ref. 30404, 48635). Some individuals have a near black overall appearance (Ref. 48635). Blotches variable between individuals and size, often in relation to habitat - those in clear coral reefs usually have proportionally less black than those found in turbid waters (Ref. 30404). Description: Characterized by body depth at gill opening 11-18 in TL; origin of dorsal fin well anterior to gill opening; anus anterior to middle of body; preanal length 2.1-2.2 in TL; elongate canines in single row on intermaxilla, longer than other canines at front jaw; biserial vomerine teeth in adult (Ref. 90102). |
| Ease of Identification |
| 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 | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total | 138 - 144 |
| Attributes | continuous with caudal fin |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 0 - 0 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 0 - 0 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays | |
| Pelvics | Attributes suppressed/absent |
| Position | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |