Morphology Data of Amphilius platychir
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Skelton, P.H., L.M. Risch and D. Paugy, 2003
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 elongated
Cross section circular
Dorsal head profile more or less straight
Type of eyes more or less normal
Type of mouth/snout more or less normal
Position of mouth terminal
Type of scales
Diagnosis

Diagnosis: dorsal-fin base distinctly ahead of pelvic-fin insertions; predorsal distance rather

short (about 40% of standard length); interorbital space about 35% of head length; caudal-peduncle length 1.5-2 times its depth; length of maxillary barbel over 75% of head length; snout rather long and blunt, its length usually 50-55% of head length; branchiostegal membrane moderately notched on midventral line (Ref. 57128).

Description: head depressed; eyes small; nostrils positioned on anterior half of snout; barbels slender, usually slightly shorter than head; pectoral and pelvic fins broad; caudal fin forked, its lower lobe usually somewhat longer than upper lobe; urogenital papilla of males well developed, but short; 6+7 principal caudal fin rays (Ref. 57128).

Coloration: back usually brown, belly lighter; 2 horizontal light bands, one above, the other below lateral line; black line in front of eyes; specimens from Southeastern Guinea (Mt. Nimba) are distinctly brown-and-cream-spotted and belong to a different sub-species A. platychir marmoratus (Ref. 57128).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Amphilius platychir

Lateral Lines 1 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 6
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb 5 - 8
on upper limb 2 - 3
total
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes no striking attributes
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 0
Soft-rays total 7
Adipose fin present

Caudal fin

Attributes forked; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 0
Soft-rays total 9 - 10

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   9 - 10
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    abdominal  behind origin of D1
Spines     0
Soft-rays   
Back to Search
Comments & Corrections
cfm script by eagbayani, 17.10.00, php script by rolavides, 13/03/08 ,  last modified by sortiz, 06.27.17