Morphology Data of Naso hexacanthus
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Randall, J.E., 2001
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs no special organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features none
Body shape lateral fusiform / normal
Cross section compressed
Dorsal head profile clearly convex
Type of eyes more or less normal
Type of mouth/snout more or less normal
Position of mouth terminal
Type of scales ctenoid scales
Diagnosis

This species is distinguished by the following characters: body moderately deep and compressed, its depth 2.6 to 3.2 times in standard length (SL); dorsal profile of body uniformly convex, without any bony horn-like projection or protuberance anteriorly on head; mouth small; incisiform teeth very small, somewhat pointed, finely serrate on edges, as many as 80 in upper jaw and 100 in lower jaw of large adults; continuous unnotched D VI (rarely V or VII),26-29; A II,27-30; pectoral-fin rays 17-18 (usually 17); pelvic fins I,3; caudal fin slightly emarginate in young, becoming truncate in adults; caudal peduncle slender, subcylindrical, with a pair of bony plates on each side that develop large sharp antrorse keels with age; body colour dark brownish grey, shading ventrally to yellowish (life colour may vary from dark brown to light blue-grey); edge of operculum and preopercle usually dark brown; dorsal and anal fins yellowish with faint diagonal brown bands and a blue margin; tongue black at lengths of 25 cm or more (Ref. 9808).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Naso hexacanthus

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 0
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb 9 - 10
on upper limb 4 - 4
total 13 - 14
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes extending over most of the back length
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 6 - 6
Soft-rays total 26 - 29
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 27 - 30

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   17 - 18
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    thoracic  before origin of D1
Spines     1
Soft-rays   3 - 3
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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