Morphology Data of Malapterurus melanochir
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Norris, S.M., 2002
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
Cross section
Dorsal head profile
Type of eyes
Type of mouth/snout
Position of mouth
Type of scales
Diagnosis

Diagnosis: tooth patches broad; obliquely angled pectoral fins positioned low on body; 43-45 vertebrae; 9-11 anal-fin rays; eyes round; body relatively darkly pigmented; larger specimens with dusky pectoral and pelvic fin rays (Ref. 44050).

Description: relatively deep head; broad snout and mouth (in dorsal profile); jaws roughly equal; 18-20 abdominal vertebrae; 23-26 caudal vertebrae; 19 caudal-fin rays (arrangement ii-7-8-ii) (Ref. 44050).

Coloration: body and head bicolored; dorsum and flank medium brown; venter pale tan or off-white; throat bears a scattering of dark pigment; dorsum and flanks well-marked with dark spots (some 1-2 eye diameters large); few, if any, spots on venter or anal or caudal fins; caudal fin in adults pigmented in the same shade as the flank ground color, with pale distal margin; caudal fin also with pale basal crescent in smaller specimens; caudal saddle and bar pattern faint and poorly developed; saddle in juveniles only slightly darker than flank ground color, covering dorsal half of caudal peduncle, merging with caudal bar; pale interspace, when present, hardly differentiated from flank ground color, quite narrow, only covering ventral half of caudal peduncle; pectoral fin dusky, particular in larger specimens; pelvic fin of adults dusky (Ref. 44050).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Malapterurus melanochir

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
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb 3 - 15
on upper limb 2 - 4
total 5 - 19
Vertebrae
preanal
total 42 - 45

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes greatly reduced or absent
Fins number
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total
Soft-rays total
Adipose fin present

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 0
Soft-rays total 9 - 11

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   9
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    abdominal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   6
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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