Morphology Data of Epinephelus hexagonatus
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall, 1999
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features none
Body shape lateral fusiform / normal
Cross section compressed
Dorsal head profile clearly convex
Type of eyes more or less normal
Type of mouth/snout more or less normal
Position of mouth superior
Type of scales ctenoid scales
Diagnosis

This species is distinguished by the following characters: body depth 2.8-3.5 in SL (10-17 cm SL individuals); head length 2.5-2.6 in SL; preopercle rounded, ventral serrae slightly enlarged; upper edge of operculum convex; midlateral part of lower jaw with 3-5 rows of teeth; gill rakers of first gill arch 7-9 + 17-19; dorsal spines 5th-9th subequal (2.5-2.8 in HL); second anal spine 2.1-2.5 in HL, distinctly longer than third spine or depth of peduncle; caudal fin rounded; pectoral-fin rays 17-19, fin length 1.6-1.9 in HL; pelvic fins 1.8-2.1 in HL; lateral-line scales 61-70; lateral scale series 93 to 114. Colour: head and body covered with polygonal (mostly hexagonal) brown spots that tend to merge, leaving only conspicuous triangular white dots at corners of the polygons; dark spots on belly and ventral part of head more rounded and separated, and often reddish brown; 4 or 5 brownish black saddle blotches (formed by groups of darker spots) on dorsal part of body and caudal peduncle, the first 4 extending onto base of dorsal fin; irregular dark bar, formed by darker polygonal spots, on lower part of body below each saddle blotch; large brown or olive spot just behind eye, often joined to similar spot on opercle; fins with close-set dark brown or reddish brown spots and white dots, except distal half of pectoral fins with faint dark spots and no white dots; pelvic and anal fins with pale edge and dark brown submarginal band; interspinous dorsal-fin membranes with dark brown triangle and short white or pale yellow filament behind tip of each spine (Ref. 39231, 90102).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Epinephelus hexagonatus

Lateral Lines 1 Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line 61 - 70
Pored lateral line scales
Scales in lateral series 93 - 114
Scale rows above lateral line
Scale rows below lateral line
Scales around caudal peduncle
Barbels 0
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb 17 - 19
on upper limb 7 - 9
total 24 - 28
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes no striking attributes
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 11 - 11
Soft-rays total 15 - 17
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 3 - 3
Soft-rays total 8 - 8

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   17 - 19
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    thoracic  beneath origin of D1
Spines     
Soft-rays   
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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