Morphology Data of Protopterus aethiopicus
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. van Oijen, M.J.P., 1995
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features striking fins
Body shape lateral elongated
Cross section circular
Dorsal head profile
Type of eyes more or less normal
Type of mouth/snout more or less normal
Position of mouth terminal
Type of scales scales embedded or partly/completely absent
Diagnosis

Smooth, slimy, cylindrical body with deeply embedded scales (Ref. 28714). Tail pointed and confluent with the long dorsal and anal fins; dorsal fin originating at an equal distance from eye and vent, or nearer to the latter; pectoral and pelvic fins slender and filamentous (Ref. 34290). Perpendicular from dorsal fin origin closer to posterior than to anterior limbs (Bailey 1994). 55-70 scales in a longitudinal series from immediately behind head to above vent; 40-50 scales around body (Ref. 4903, 45485). 37-40 pairs of ribs (Ref. 4903). Dentition consisting of upper and lower tooth plates in the form of sharp cutting ridges (Ref. 34290). Young fish with true external gills, but usually absent in specimens above 15 cm TL (Ref. 34290). Dark slate-grey above, yellowish-grey or pinkish below, often with numerous dark spots or flecks on fins and body; some specimens bright yellow ventrally; sensory canals on head and body outlined in black (Ref. 34290).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Protopterus aethiopicus

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
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb
on upper limb
total
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes continuous with caudal fin
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total
Soft-rays total
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes pointed; confluent

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total
Soft-rays total

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  other (see Diagnosis)
Spines     0
Soft-rays   0 - 0
Pelvics Attributes  reduced to filaments
Position    abdominal  behind origin of D1
Spines     0
Soft-rays   0 - 0
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