Morphology Data of Characidium xavante
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. da Graça, W.F., C.S. Pavanelli and P.A. Buckup, 2008
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance different morphology during breeding season only
Different colors different colors during breeding season only
Remarks Breeding males have anal, pelvic, and pectoral fins conspicuously dark, mainly on distal part of fin, and caudal fin hyaline while females have dorsal, pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins notably lighter than males. Breeding males differ from females by having blunt sexual hooks on distal portion of some branched rays of pelvic and pectoral fins, mainly in former (vs. absence of sexual hooks on fins in females) (Ref. 75787).

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features
Body shape lateral elongated
Cross section
Dorsal head profile
Type of eyes
Type of mouth/snout
Position of mouth sub-terminal/inferior
Type of scales cycloid scales
Diagnosis

Belongs to a group of species, including Characidium nupelia, distinguished uniquely by having high number (12-18) of dark vertical bars on the body, each bar having the width of a scale. Diagnosed by a lower number of scales around the caudal peduncle (10 vs. 12 or more in most Characidium species). Differs from Characidium nupelia by its wider interorbital region (interorbital distance 30.1-38.0 vs. 20.5-28.6% HL) and lower caudal peduncle (caudal peduncle depth 35.4-44.9 vs. 46.2-57.8% HL). Additional conspicuous external characters that are not unique but are helpful in the identification of this species include absence of adipose fin, incomplete lateral line, and presence of a dark blotch on the caudal peduncle (Ref. 75787).

Description: Dorsal fin iii9; iii,10; Anal fin iii,6. iii,7; Pectoral fin iii,8, iii9, iii,10; Pelvic i7, i8 (Ref. 75787).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Characidium xavante

Lateral Lines Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line 30 - 33
Pored lateral line scales
Scales in lateral series
Scale rows above lateral line 4 - 5
Scale rows below lateral line 4 - 5
Scales around caudal peduncle 10 - 10
Barbels
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb
on upper limb
total
Vertebrae
preanal
total 32 - 33

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes
Fins number
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total
Soft-rays total 12 - 13
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes forked

Anal fin(s)

Fins number
Spines total
Soft-rays total 9 - 10

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  
Spines     
Soft-rays   11 - 13
Pelvics Attributes  
Position    abdominal
Spines     
Soft-rays   8 - 9
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
Comments & Corrections
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