Morphology Data of Micropterus salmoides
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Keith, P. and J. Allardi (coords.), 2001
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features none
Body shape lateral fusiform / normal
Cross section oval
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 terminal
Type of scales ctenoid scales
Diagnosis

Description: Mouth large; maxillary extending beyond the eye; small caniniform teeth in bands on jaws (Ref. 40476, 52193). Dorsal fin with 9-10 spines and 12-13 soft rays; dorsal fin membrane deeply cleft between spinous and soft-rayed sections; anal fin with 3 spines and 9-11 soft rays; pelvic fins not joined by a membrane; caudal fin emarginate or rounded; caudal fin with 17 rays (Ref. 2196, 40476, 52193). Lateral line complete, 58-69 scales, 6-8 between lateral line and first dorsal spine, no scales on base of dorsal or anal fins (Ref. 52193).

Colouration: Green to olive dorsally, light green on flanks, milk-white to yellow ventrally, with a black band running from the operculum to the base of the caudal fin; a connected series of short, dark olive green vertical bars forms an irregular band along body, 2 or 3 broad olive stripes radiate behind eye (Ref. 40476, 52193).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Micropterus salmoides

Lateral Lines 1 Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line 63 - 69
Pored lateral line scales 60 - 68
Scales in lateral series
Scale rows above lateral line 7 - 9
Scale rows below lateral line 13 - 16
Scales around caudal peduncle
Barbels 0
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb
on upper limb
total
Vertebrae
preanal
total 30 - 32

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes extending over most of the back length
Fins number 1notched No
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 10 - 10
Soft-rays total 11 - 14
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes forked

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 3 - 3
Soft-rays total 10 - 12

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   13 - 15
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    thoracic  before origin of D1
Spines     1
Soft-rays   5 - 13
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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