Main Ref. | Morrow, J.E., 1980 |
Appearance refers to | |
Bones in OsteoBase |
Specialized organs | |
Different appearance | |
Different colors | |
Remarks |
Striking features | |
Body shape lateral | fusiform / normal |
Cross section | |
Dorsal head profile | |
Type of eyes | |
Type of mouth/snout | |
Position of mouth | |
Type of scales | |
Diagnosis |
Couesius plumbeus is distinguished by having the following characters: barbel at corner of large, barely subterminal mouth; moderately pointed snout; large eye; head flattened above and below; dorsal fin origin over or slightly behind pelvic fin origin; complete lateral line, 53-70 lateral scales; 8 anal rays, and pharyngeal teeth 2,4-4,2 (Ref. 86798). Spineless fins, normal jaws, and tiny barbel at the corner of the mouth (Ref. 27547). Body moderately compressed and slender, coloration include brown to green above, dark stripe along silver gray side, darkest on young and large male, sometimes black specks on side and belly, dusky caudal spot. Large male may have red at pectoral and pelvic fin origins, corners of mouth (Ref. 86797). In some populations, breeding males develop bright orange-red patches on sides of head and at bases of pectoral fins, but the presence of this color varies from place to place (Ref. 27547). |
Ease of Identification |
Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
Scales on lateral line | |
Pored lateral line scales | 53 - 79 |
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 | 4 - 9 |
Vertebrae | |
preanal | |
total | 39 - 44 |
Attributes | |
Fins number | 1 |
Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
Ventral 0 - 0 | |
Spines total | 0 - 0 |
Soft-rays total | 8 - 8 |
Adipose fin | absent |
Attributes | forked; more or less normal |
Fins number | 1 |
Spines total | 0 - 0 |
Soft-rays total | 7 - 9 |
Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
Spines 0 | |
Soft-rays 13 - 18 | |
Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
Position abdominal beneath origin of D1 | |
Spines 0 | |
Soft-rays 7 - 9 |