| Main Ref. | Costa, W.J.E.M. and M.M. Cheffe, 2001 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral | |
| Cross section | |
| Dorsal head profile | |
| Type of eyes | |
| Type of mouth/snout | |
| Position of mouth | |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
Two apomorphic color patterns, body bright gray with dark gray to black stripes in males (versus light gray or no stripes) and a vertically paired black blotch on caudal peduncle of juveniles and females (versus small spots irregularly arranged, or a single round dorsally positioned spot, or no spots on caudal peduncle). Males with light blue stripes parallel to rays on the basal half of unpaired fins and a black blotch anteriorly bordered by a narrow blue line on posterior portion of dorsal and anal fins. Scales on longitudinal series 26-28, supraorbital neuromasts 16-19, pharyngobranchial teeth 2-5. Dorsal fin origin anterior to anal fin origin in females. Caudal fin rounded. |
| Ease of Identification |
| 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 | 16 - 16 |
| Barbels | |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | 10 - 10 |
| on upper limb | 4 - 4 |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total | 27 - 30 |
| Attributes | |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 16 - 23 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | other (see remark); more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 18 - 26 |
| Pectoral | Attributes |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 10 - 11 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes |
| Position | |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 5 - 5 |