| Main Ref. | Trewavas, E., 1983 |
| Appearance refers to | Male; Female |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | genital papilla with tassels (m) |
| Different appearance | different morphology during breeding season only |
| Different colors | different colors during breeding season only |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | none |
| Body shape lateral | fusiform / normal |
| Cross section | |
| 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 |
| Type of scales | cycloid scales |
| Diagnosis |
Breeding males black, in some with white or yellowish dorsal lappets. Testes broad, white and sinuous when fully ripe. Lower pharyngeal toothed area with concave sides; median length of bone 1.2-1.3 times its width and 35.5-39.2 % length of head; blade 1.3-2.1 times median length of toothed area. Caudal fin scaly. |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 1 Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 32 - 35 |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | |
| Scale rows below lateral line | |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | absent |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | 17 - 22 |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total | 30 - 32 |
| Attributes | extending over most of the back length |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 |
| Ventral 0 | |
| Spines total | 15 - 17 |
| Soft-rays total | 10 - 11 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 8 - 10 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic beneath origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |