Morphology Data of Thalassoma amblycephalum
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene, 1990
Appearance refers to Male; Female
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks Terminal male with green head and chest, broad yellow zone anterodorsally on body, the rest reddish with vertical green lines (Ref 9823).

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 terminal
Type of scales cycloid scales
Diagnosis

Juveniles easily identified by the color pattern and rounded snout. Males become brightly colored and head usually green with a yellow band following on the body (Ref. 48636). Head naked, no scales dorsally on opercle. Initial phase with a broad blackish stripe from snout through eye to caudal-fin base (Ref 9823).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Thalassoma amblycephalum

Lateral Lines 1 Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line 26 - 27
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
on upper limb
total 16 - 19
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes no striking attributes
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 8 - 8
Soft-rays total 13 - 13
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 3 - 3
Soft-rays total 10 - 11

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   14 - 15
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    thoracic  behind origin of D1
Spines     
Soft-rays   
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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