| Main Ref. | Trewavas, E., 1983 |
| Appearance refers to | Male; Female |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | no special organs |
| Different appearance | males alike females |
| Different colors | different colors in mature adults only |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | none |
| Body shape lateral | fusiform / normal |
| Cross section | compressed |
| Dorsal head profile | more or less straight |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | terminal |
| Diagnosis |
A well-marked opercular spot. In mature males operculum pink; iris with bright red border; pelvic and pectoral fins pale yellow; anal orange-yellow with silvery spots and reddish edge; dorsal dark brown with silver-white spots on membrane. Mature females with cheeks and operculum iridescent green; lips pinkish; pelvic fins pale with greenish border; anal brown with translucent patches. |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 2 Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 31 - 33 |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | |
| Scale rows below lateral line | 4 - 5 |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | absent |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | 18 - 23 |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total | 29 - 31 |
| Attributes | extending over most of the back length |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 |
| Ventral 0 | |
| Spines total | 14 - 16 |
| Soft-rays total | 12 - 14 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 9 - 11 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |