| Main Ref. | Norris, S.M., 2002 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral (shape guide) | |
| Cross section | |
| Dorsal head profile | |
| Type of eyes | |
| Type of mouth/snout | |
| Position of mouth | |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
Diagnosis: lateral line short, rarely longer than 28% SL, most commonly 18-22% SL; nearly always 6 pelvic-fin rays; generally 2 sensory pores between inner mental barbels; caudal saddle and bar pattern absent; no sharply defined pectoral fin markings (Ref. 44050). Description: 16-28 abdominal vertebrae; 21-23 caudal vertebrae; 18 caudal-fin rays (arrangement ii-7-7-ii) (Ref. 44050). Coloration: body and head bicolored; dorsum and flank brown or grey, venter tan; dorsum and flank well-marked with fine spots and larger blotches (up to 5-6 times an eye diameter), with few if any spots on venter; pectoral and pelvic fins light brown or grey in adults; anal fin opaque (whitish) with a dusky patch covering posterior half or third of fin and pale distal margin; caudal fin light brown or grey (close to flank color) with pale distal margin and pale basal crescent; juveniles colored as adults with no hint of caudal saddle and bar pattern (Ref. 44050). |
| 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 | 3 - 7 |
| on upper limb | 1 - 3 |
| total | 5 - 10 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total | 37 - 41 |
| Attributes | greatly reduced or absent |
| Fins number | |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total | |
| Adipose fin | present |
| Attributes | more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 8 - 12 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 8 - 9 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position abdominal | |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 5 - 6 |