Morphology Data of Opistognathus brasiliensis
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Smith-Vaniz, W.F., 1997
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 elongated
Cross section
Dorsal head profile
Type of eyes
Type of mouth/snout
Position of mouth
Type of scales
Diagnosis

Anterior nostril a short tube with simple cirrus on posterior rim; posterior end of maxilla of adult males produced as a thin flexible lamina that usually extends beyond posterior margin of opercle; spinous dorsal fin with black spot encircled by a very narrow white ring; dorsal fin with 5 or 6 dusky bands that extend onto dorsum; adult males with inner lining of maxilla and adjacent membranes with 2 dark stripes, one stripe in females; pectoral fin uniformly pigmented, no black speckles proximally; buccal pigmentation consisting of a dark area widely surrounding esophageal opening except for a pale area posteriorly that continues between upper pharyngeal tooth patches; caudal vertebrae 8 (Ref. 26893).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Opistognathus brasiliensis

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 23 - 24
on upper limb 9 - 11
total 33 - 36
Vertebrae
preanal
total 28 - 28

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 11 - 11
Soft-rays total 16 - 16
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 3 - 3
Soft-rays total 15 - 16

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   18 - 19
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    thoracic  beneath origin of D1
Spines     
Soft-rays   
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