| Main Ref. | Russell, B.C., 2001 |
| Appearance refers to | Male; Female |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | no special organs |
| Different appearance | always different morphology between mature adults |
| Different colors | males alike females |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | striking fins |
| Body shape lateral | fusiform / normal |
| Cross section | oval |
| Dorsal head profile | clearly convex |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | terminal |
| Type of scales | ctenoid scales |
| Diagnosis |
Suborbital spine absent. Preopercle with 3 transverse scale rows. Pectoral and pelvic fins long, reaching to between level of anus and origin of anal fin. Upper lobe of caudal fin produced to form a trailing filament. A line drawn up from the posterior edge of suborbital reaching the dorsal profile 5 to 7 scale rows before origin of dorsal fin. Axillary scale present. Body color pink, paler below. Head pink, a yellow stripe from upper lip extending to antero-ventral margin of eye. Two faint yellow bars across cheek sometimes present. Pelvic fins with yellow stripes. |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 1 Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 45 - 51 |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | 3.5 - 4.5 |
| Scale rows below lateral line | 9 - 12 |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | absent |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | 12 - 16 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | no striking attributes |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | 10 - 10 |
| Soft-rays total | 9 - 9 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | forked; with dorsal filament |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 8 - 8 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 16 - 18 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic behind origin of D1 | |
| Spines 1 | |
| Soft-rays 5 - 5 |