Morphology Data of Coptodon imbrifernus
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Stiassny, M.L.J., A. Lamboj, D. De Weirdt and G.G. Teugels, 2008
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features
Body shape lateral
Cross section
Dorsal head profile
Type of eyes
Type of mouth/snout
Position of mouth
Type of scales
Diagnosis

Diagnosis: lower pharyngeal jaw slender and gracile, with a reduced dentigerous plate; gill filaments of first arch long (ca. 20% HL); 10-12 gill rakers on first arch; anterior rakers markedly reduced in size (Ref. 81260).

Description: head length 38.1-44.6% SL; lower pharyngeal jaw with unicuspid, curved anterior teeth and straight tricuspid posterior teeth; ventral keel relatively long, nearly as long as dentigerous plate; 2-4 rows of teeth in upper jaw, outer row teeth bicuspid (Ref. 81260). Head very massive; relatively deep-bodied; frontal profile steep; both sexes may develop a small hump on head (Ref. 52307).

Coloration: in life: silvery grey-brown, darker dorsally (Ref. 81260) when not spawning (Ref. 52307). Snout and dorsum of head dark brownish black; lower lip, chin and belly pale creamy-brown; opercle reddish bronze, and reddish tinge to fleshy pectoral base; well marked opercular spot (Ref. 81260). Dorsal fin uniform dusky, grey-brown; caudal fin blackish brown with dusky green posterior margin; anal fin dusky grey-black (Ref. 52307, 81260). Pelvics and pectoral fins transparent (Ref. 81260). Exhibits a bright yellow to bronze coloration, with lower lip silvery-white, when breeding or dominant (Ref. 52307).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Coptodon imbrifernus

Lateral Lines Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line 28 - 30
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 10 - 12
on upper limb
total
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   0
Ventral  0
Spines total 15 - 15
Soft-rays total 10 - 12
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 3 - 3
Soft-rays total 7 - 8

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  
Spines     
Soft-rays   
Pelvics Attributes  
Position    
Spines     
Soft-rays   
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