| Main Ref. | Randall, J.E., 1956 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | none |
| Body shape lateral | short and / or deep |
| Cross section | compressed |
| Dorsal head profile | clearly concave |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | terminal |
| Type of scales | ctenoid scales |
| Diagnosis |
Purplish black in color; an orange diffused patch at edge of gill opening, just above pectoral fin base; a broad black band from upper end of gill opening to margin of gill cover down to isthmus; caudal spine socket with a narrow black margin. Blackish lips; a trace of orange behind eye; a white line under chin extending slightly above rictus. Gill rakers on anterior row 23-26; on posterior row 25-27. Juveniles can exhibit 3 different color patterns mimicking Centropyge species. Caudal fin rounded in juveniles. Description: Characterized further by having length of caudal spine about 2.5-4.5 in head lengh; greatest depth of body 1.8-2.0 in SL (Ref. 90102). |
| Ease of Identification | easy to distinguish from other species. |
| 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 |
| Attributes | extending over most of the back length |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 8 - 8 |
| Soft-rays total | 27 - 30 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 24 - 28 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 16 - 16 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic behind origin of D1 | |
| Spines 1 | |
| Soft-rays 5 - 5 |