Main Ref. | Nielsen, J.G., D.M. Cohen, D.F. Markle and C.R. Robins, 1999 |
Appearance refers to | |
Bones in OsteoBase |
Specialized organs | |
Different appearance | |
Different colors | |
Remarks |
Striking features | |
Body shape lateral | eel-like |
Cross section | oval |
Dorsal head profile | |
Type of eyes | |
Type of mouth/snout | |
Position of mouth | |
Type of scales | |
Diagnosis |
Eel-like, moderate to shallow body depth; maxilla adnate or nearly so; cardiform teeth present; branchiostegal membranes partly or completely united; swim bladder with thin terminal membrane or bulb; lacking enlarged dentary or premaxillary fangs, dentary diastema, pelvic fins, and swim bladder rocker bone (Ref. 34024). Swim bladder long, tubular, extending well beyond 12th vertebra (Ref. 34024). Description: Characterized by translucent coloring; often with numerous small dark spots; usually blackish posterior portion of tail; length of pectoral fin 2.5-3.2 in head length; long and slender body, depth about 20 in TL; very low dorsal and anal rays; anal rays anterior to origin of dorsal fin; head length about 8.5-10.5 in TL; immobile maxilla, bound by skin to side of head; single row of jaw teeth , well spaced, upper jaw teeth hooked posteriorly; 2-3 enlarged teeth in vomer; palatines with single row of teeth (Ref. 90102). |
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 | |
Barbels | |
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
Gill rakers | |
on lower limb | |
on upper limb | |
total | |
Vertebrae | |
preanal | 26 - 32 |
total | 136 - 140 |
Attributes | |
Fins number | |
Finlets No. | Dorsal |
Ventral | |
Spines total | |
Soft-rays total | 25 - 36 |
Adipose fin |
Attributes |
Fins number | |
Spines total | |
Soft-rays total | 42 - 52 |
Pectoral | Attributes |
Spines 0 | |
Soft-rays 17 - 19 | |
Pelvics | Attributes |
Position | |
Spines | |
Soft-rays |