| Diagnosis: |
Vertebrae: 115-117. This species is distinguished from all species of the S. megalops group by possessing pectoral fins with free rear tips rounded (vs. pointed); snout blunt and elongate (vs. rounded and short); dermal denticles tricuspid and rhomboid (vs. unicuspid and lanceolate); differs from S. mitsukurii by having narrower interorbital space, 8.2%, 7.9%-8.3% TL (vs. 9.3%, 9.1%-9.8% TL), shorter lower caudal fin lobe with preventral caudal margin 11.4%, 10.9%-11.3% TL (vs. 12.1%, 11.5%-12.4% TL); differs from S. blainvillei (from the Mediterranean Sea) by having lower dorsal fins with first dorsal-fin height 6.9%, 7.0%-7.1% TL (vs. 8.2%, 7.3%-8.7% TL), with second dorsal-fin height 5.3%, 4.2%-4.4% TL (vs. 7.2%, 6.6%-7.5% TL), a shorter upper labial furrow, its length 2.3%, 2.2% TL (vs. 2.5%, 2.4%-2.7% TL); differs from S. lobularis by having its caudal fin somewhat slender (vs. upper caudal lobe rectangular), second dorsal-fin spine not reaching dorsal-fin apex (vs. reaching dorsal-fin apex), shorter pectoral-fin inner margin with its length 8.1%, 8.4%-8.9% TL (vs. 10.5%, 9.2%-11.0% TL), greater clasper outer length of 5.0%, 4.6%-5.1% TL (vs. 4.3% TL) (Ref. 109601). |
