Morphology Data of Epinephelus itajara
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall, 1993
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase Skull, Spine

Sex attributes

Specialized organs no special organs
Different appearance males alike females
Different colors different colors in juveniles and adults
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

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

Distinguished by the following characteristics: brownish yellow, grey or greenish body color; head and dorsal part of body and fins with small black spots; body robust and elongate; body depth contained 2.7-3.4 times in SL; HL 2.3-2.9 in SL; extremely broad head; flat interorbital; rounded preopercle, finely serrate; round nostrils, subequal; maxilla scaly, reaching well past eye; 3-5 rows of subequal teeth on midlateral part of lower jaw; absence of canines at front jaw (Ref. 89707); further characterized by having opercle with 3 flat spines, middle one the largest. Pelvic fins smaller than the pectorals. Bases of soft dorsal and anal fins covered with scales and thick skin. Juveniles tawny with irregular vertical bands.

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Epinephelus itajara

Lateral Lines 1 Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line 61 - 64
Pored lateral line scales
Scales in lateral series 89 - 112
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 13 - 15
on upper limb 8 - 9
total 21 - 24
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes no striking attributes
Fins number 1notched No
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 11 - 11
Soft-rays total 15 - 16
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 3 - 3
Soft-rays total 8 - 8

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     1
Soft-rays   8 - 19
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    abdominal  behind origin of D1
Spines     
Soft-rays   
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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