Morphology Data of Copadichromis cyanocephalus
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Stauffer, J.R. and A.F. Konings, 2006
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors always different colors between mature adults
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

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

Diagnosis: 3 lateral spots on body; supra-pectoral spot about same size as supra-anal spot; 2 vertical bars between supra-pectoral spot and opercle; no black submarginal band in the dorsal fin; males in breeding coloration with blue breast and narrow yellow marginal band in anal fin; males without spots or streaks in the anal fin (Ref. 57549).

Description: dorsal snout profile straight to slightly concave in large males; gape inclination of mouth 30-35° to horizontal; jaws isognathous; teeth on dentary and premaxilla in 3 rows, outer row with small bicuspid teeth in juveniles and females, large unicuspid teeth in mature males; gill rakers short and broad-based; 1-2 pored scales posterior to lateral line; 2-3 scale rows on cheek (Ref. 57549).

Coloration: breeding males: head blue with green highlights; interorbital dark gray with blue highlights; blue and green opercle; posterior portion of throat green, anterior portion light green; lateral portion of body dark blue ground color dorsally, fading to blue/green ventrally, 7 dark gray bars; breast and belly blue with orange markings; dorsal fin blue with green and purple highlights; yellow/white marginal band with yellow/orange lappets; caudal fin with black rays and gray membranes; anal fin blue/gray proximally, yellow/ orange distally; pectoral fin with black rays and clear membranes; pelvic fin with black rays and gray membranes (Ref. 57549).

Females: head gray dorsally, fading to white ventrally; purple and silver highlights on cheek; white throat; lateral portion of body, gray/blue ground color with anterior portion of scales outlined in yellow; 3 black spots; supra-pectoral spot below 11-13th scale separate from upper lateral line and about same size of supra-anal spot; supra-anal spot at 21-23rd scale above and in contact with lower lateral line and covering 2-3 scales; caudal spot same diameter as supra-anal spot on caudal base; 2 vertical bars between supra-pectoral spot and dorsal-fin origin; belly white; dorsal fin clear with pale yellow spots and micro-melanophores, lappets orange; caudal fin clear with scattered micro-melanophores and pale yellow spots; anal fin clear with scattered micro-melanophores with median gray band and 6-8 pale yellow ocelli; pectoral fin clear; pelvic fin clear with scattered micro-melanophores (Ref. 57549).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Copadichromis cyanocephalus

Lateral Lines Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line 32 - 34
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 12 - 16
on upper limb 5 - 6
total
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   0
Ventral  0
Spines total 16 - 17
Soft-rays total 10 - 11
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate

Anal fin(s)

Fins number
Spines total 3 - 3
Soft-rays total 8 - 9

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  
Spines     
Soft-rays   13 - 14
Pelvics Attributes  
Position    
Spines     
Soft-rays   5 - 5
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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