Morphology Data of Gymnothorax meleagris
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Myers, R.F., 1991
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features
Body shape lateral eel-like
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 terminal
Type of scales
Diagnosis

Mouth white inside, contrasting the outer dark skin with small white spots (Ref. 30404, 48635).

Description: Characterized by body depth at gill opening 11-18 in TL; tail tapering only slightly until posterior most portion; origin of dorsal fin about midway between gill opening and corner of mouth; anus anterior to middle of body; two rows of jaw teeth; teeth at front of upper jaw in five rows; longer canines in middle row than outer rows; inner row of 7-12 smaller canines at side of upper jaw (Ref. 90102). Predorsal vertebrae 4-6 (Ref. 92337).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Gymnothorax meleagris

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 0
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb
on upper limb
total
Vertebrae
preanal 48 - 53
total 127 - 132

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes continuous with caudal fin
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 0 - 0
Soft-rays total 0 - 0
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 0 - 0
Soft-rays total 0 - 0

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     
Soft-rays   
Pelvics Attributes  suppressed/absent
Position    
Spines     
Soft-rays   
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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