| Main Ref. | Watson, R.E., G.R. Allen and M. Kottelat, 1998 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral | fusiform / normal |
| Cross section | |
| Dorsal head profile | |
| Type of eyes | |
| Type of mouth/snout | |
| Position of mouth | |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
Second dorsal fin with 9 segmented rays; males with first dorsal fin same height as second dorsal fin; spines not filamentous; pectoral fin usually with 14 rays; predorsal midline naked; body anteriorly, belly, pectoral base and head naked; cycloid scales present midlaterally ventral to first dorsal fin, midline between second dorsal fin and anal fin, and caudal peduncle scales ctenoid; in life males bright red with blue head, and females transparent with slightly dusky markings. |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | 12 - 33 |
| 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 | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | |
| Fins number | 2 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total | |
| Adipose fin |
| Attributes |
| Fins number | |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total |
| Pectoral | Attributes |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays 14 - 14 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes |
| Position | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |