| Main Ref. | Layman, S.R. and R.L. Mayden, 2012 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks | Males average larger than females (largest male 42.8 mm SL, largest female 41.2 mm SL). Exhibit significant dimorphism (P<0.05) in 12 of 18 body proportions, with males having longer head and upper jaw, taller spinous dorsal fin, larger anal, pelvic, and pectoral fins, and deeper and wider body; the females have greater distance between spinous dorsal and soft dorsal fin origins (Ref. 92294). |
| Striking features | |
| Body shape lateral | |
| Cross section | |
| Dorsal head profile | |
| Type of eyes | |
| Type of mouth/snout | |
| Position of mouth | |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
This species is distinguished by the following characters: the breeding male with spinous dorsal fin with blue marginal and submedial bands, orange medial band, basal band with bright orange pigment; soft dorsal, caudal, and pectoral fins with distinct bright orange spots on rays; the soft dorsal and anal fins has blue in base of fin and the anal fin with distinct orange spots on rays; the face and lower head tangerine orange with blue on operculum, preoperculum, cheek, and suborbital bar (not on lips and mid-gular region); quadrate lateral blue blotches extend ventrad from lateral line scale row; basicaudal blue bar extending from dorsal to ventral margin of caudal fin; absence of frenum; incomplete lateral line, unpored scales modally greater than 10 (11); cheek naked or nearly naked.; no palatine teeth; dorsal fin with spines modally 12 and soft rays modally 11; anal fin soft rays modally 8-9; pectoral fin rays modally 14; principal caudal fin rays modally 15; caudal peduncle scales modally 16; preoperculomandibular canal pores modally 10 (Ref. 92294). |
| Ease of Identification |
| 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 |
| Attributes | |
| Fins number | |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | 10 - 14 |
| Soft-rays total | 10 - 13 |
| Adipose fin |
| Attributes |
| Fins number | |
| Spines total | 2 - 2 |
| Soft-rays total | 5 - 10 |
| Pectoral | Attributes |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays 13 - 15 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes |
| Position | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |