Morphology Data of Cirripectes imitator
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Williams, J.T., 1988
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks Female with pale grey polygonal spots; male with irregular bars and yellow tips on caudal fin and anterior dorsal spines (Ref. 529, 90102).

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features
Body shape lateral fusiform / normal
Cross section oval
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
Diagnosis

Diagnosis: Dorsal fin XII, 14, membrane attached to caudal fin, with deep notch above last spine, first spine almost same or slightly higher than second; anal fin II, 15; pectoral rays 15; pelvic fin I, 4; caudal fin procurrent rays 11-14. Vertebrae 10 + 20. LL, without scales and scalelike flaps; LL tubes 7-14, canal ends below posterior to 9th dorsal ray, usually on caudal-fin base. Lower lip smooth mesially, plicate laterally. Upper lip crenulae 36-50. Gill rakers 24-27. Cephalic sensory pore system complex. Cirri, nuchal 40-59, supraorbital 13-46, nasal 9-93; 4 groups of nuchal cirri, 2 groups on 1 side rarely connected by a low basal membrane, ventralmost group on each side borne on enlarged nuchal flap. Body depth at anal-fin origin 3.5-4.0 in SL. Morphometric and meristic characters does not vary geographically. Overall dark brown; female with pale grey polygonal spots; male with irregular bars and yellow tips on caudal fin and anterior dorsal spines; irregular pupil- sized spots on head; iris with yellow-ringed pupil (Ref. 529, 90102).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Cirripectes imitator

Lateral Lines 1 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 24 - 27
Vertebrae
preanal 10 - 10
total 30 - 30

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes extending over most of the back length
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total 11 - 13
Soft-rays total 13 - 15
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 2 - 2
Soft-rays total 14 - 16

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   14 - 16
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    thoracic  before origin of D1
Spines     1
Soft-rays   3 - 4
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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