| Main Ref. | Anderson, W.D. and V.G. Springer, 2005 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral | elongated |
| Cross section | |
| Dorsal head profile | more or less straight |
| Type of eyes | |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | terminal |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
The species differs from all other species of the genus in having fewer gillrakers on first arch (4 or 5 + 19-21 = 24 or 25 total vs. 8-14 + 20-29 = 28-42 total). In addition, it differs from other Atlantic species in having a ventral branch of obliquus dorsalis 3 muscle (vs. its absence in the other two species) and in having a posteriorly projecting extension of the cartilaginous lateral end of ceratobranchial 4 (vs. its absence in the other two species; S. berryi has a small accessory cartilage associated with the lateral end of ceratobranchial 4; the specimen of S. octoactinus examined may have had a very small accessory cartilage that was lost during dissection). |
| 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 | 19 - 21 |
| on upper limb | 4 - 5 |
| total | 24 - 25 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | 10 - 10 |
| total | 25 - 25 |
| Attributes | |
| Fins number | |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | 9 - 9 |
| Soft-rays total | 10 - 10 |
| Adipose fin |
| Attributes |
| Fins number | |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 7 - 7 |
| Pectoral | Attributes |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 17 - 17 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes |
| Position | |
| Spines 1 | |
| Soft-rays 5 - 5 |