Morphology Data of Pseudotanganikallabes prognatha
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Wright, J.J., 2017
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features
Body shape lateral eel-like
Cross section compressed
Dorsal head profile
Type of eyes
Type of mouth/snout
Position of mouth terminal
Type of scales
Diagnosis

Diagnosis: Among clariids, Pseudotanganikallabes prognatha most closely resembles young Tanganikallabes specimens in external appearance, but can be easily distinguished from members of this genus by a number of characters: the number of post-Weberian vertebral elements in P. prognatha is lower than that of Tanganikallabes, 50-51 vs. 53-61; it further differs from T. mortiauxi by its relative shorter prepelvic length, 35.8-39.7% of standard length vs. 39.7-44.4%, and pre-anal length, 43.2-46.7% of standard length vs. 47.1-51.7%, shallower body, body depth at anus 9.1-10.3% of standard length vs. 12.3-17.2%, shorter snout, 4.1-5.5% of standard length vs. 5.7-8.2%, and lower total number of dorsal and anal-fin rays, 61-67 vs. 72-81 dorsal rays and 53-58 vs. 58-65 anal rays; it can be further separated from T. alboperca by its relative shallower body, body depth at anus 9.1-10.3% of standard length vs. 11.7-14.6%, and from T. stewarti by its relatively greater predorsal length, 31.4-34.4% of standard length vs. 28.0-31.2%, shorter dorsal fin, 66.7-69.7% of standard length vs. 70.3-75.4%, and lower total number of dorsal and anal-fin rays, 61-67 vs. 72-79 dorsal rays and 53-58 vs. 63-69 anal rays (Ref. 116742).

Description: Body elongate, moderately compressed posterior to distinct, bilateral swellings directly behind head; predorsal profile convex, initial downward slope gentle, increasing at vertical through middle of pectoral fin; dorsal profile posterior to origin of dorsal fin broadly convex; prepelvic profile relatively flat; broad, shallow concavity evident from anterior of pelvic fin to tip of snout; postpelvic profile with slight downward slope; skin on body forming numerous vertical ridges and folds (Ref. 116742). Head depressed and broad; skin thick; lateral cranial muscles hypertrophied; snout short, with bluntly rounded margin when viewed dorsally; acute, narrow margin when viewed laterally; anterior nostrils tubular; posterior nostrils poorly visible, located at posterior base of nasal barbel; opercular flap extending over base of pectoral-fin spine; eye small, located dorsolaterally, circular, completely subcutaneous; interorbital area broad, flat (Ref. 116742). Mouth terminal, slightly upturned; lips narrow and papillate; lower jaw distincly longer than upper; mandibular, premaxillary and vomerine teeth unicuspid, arranged in multiple transverse rows; teeth appear pointed, no fleshy pad present; mandibular toothpad wide, crescentic; premaxillary toothpad broadly curved, rectangular, noticeably wider than vomerine toothpad; vomerine toothpad located immediately posterior to premaxillary; narrow; broadly curved; crescentic; outer portions flared, rounded (Ref. 116742). Nasal barbel extends approximately to upper origin of opercular flap; maxillary barbel extends slightly beyond posterior margin of pectoral fin; lateral mandibular barbel extending to middle of pectoral fin; medial mandibular barbel extending just to, or slightly beyond lower opercular margin; all barbels smooth, with very narrow basal membrane (Ref. 116742). Dorsal fin elongate, lacking spine, with 61-67 soft rays; origin located slightly posterior to vertical through posterior tip of adpressed pectoral fin; posterior margin not joined with caudal fin; pectoral fin with 1 unbranched and 8-9 branched rays; anterior unbranched ray only partially ossified at proximal end; adipose fin absent; pelvic fin with 1 unbranched and 5 branched rays; tip of adpressed fin reaches beyond origin of anal fin; anal fin elongate, with 53-58 soft rays; posterior margin not joined with caudal fin; caudal fin with 24-25 total rays, 15 principal rays; rounded (Ref. 116742).

Colouration: Colouration in alcohol: dorsum and flanks yellowish brown to olive brown, ventral surfaces noticeably lighter, particularly on head and belly; stripe of darker, pinkish brown pigmentation begins behind head and extends, midlateraly, down majority of flank; all barbels lightly pigmented or entirely lacking pigmentation; all fins with brownish base and broad, depigmented border; operculum with wide, depigmented margin, extending onto underside of head; all fins with dark, brownish colouration at base, with clear margins; clear margins wider on paired and caudal fins than on dorsal and anal fins (Ref. 116742).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Pseudotanganikallabes prognatha

Lateral Lines 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
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb
on upper limb
total
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes no striking attributes
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total 0 - 0
Soft-rays total 61 - 67
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 0 - 0
Soft-rays total 53 - 58

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   9 - 10
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    abdominal  behind origin of D1
Spines     0
Soft-rays   6 - 6
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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