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Dorsal spines (total): 17-19; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 7-9. Diagnosis: The possession of following characteristics place this species in Chindongo: the presence of bicuspid teeth in the outer row of both upper and lower jaws; a vomer without a bulbous rostral tip and angled 53-68° with the parasphenoid; and small mouth with isognathic to slightly retrognathic jaws (Ref. 119465). Morphologically Chindongo bellicosus is difficult to distinguish from most congenerics, but male and female colour patterns provide usable distinctions between most of them; C. bellicosus is characterized by 6-8 dark,vertical bars below the dorsal fin and is thus distinguished from C. demasoni, 4 bars, and C. saulosi, 5 bars; it is further distinguished from the latter species by a shallower body, body depth 22.8-30.9% of standard length vs. 31.3-37.0% in C. saulosi; female and juvenile male C. bellicosus have light beige to bluish ground colour and are distinguished from those of C. saulosi and C. heteropictus which are entirely yellow, and from those of C. demasoni which are blue with black bars and from female C. socolofi which are light blue without bars; Chindingo bellicosus is distinguished from C. minutus by a larger number of gill rakers on the first ceratobranchial, 10-13 vs. 7 in C. minutus, and by a shallower body, body depth 22.8-30.9% of standard length vs. 31.1-35.5% in C. minutus; it can be distinguished from C. elongatus by its incomplete barring pattern that lacks bars on the posterior half of the flank and on the caudal peduncle while both male and female C. elongatus exhibit a bar pattern over the full length of the flank and caudal peduncle; it can be distinguished from C. ater by its barring pattern which is still visible in very dark individuals while absent in male C. ater; females of the latter species may sometimes show a few faint bars but their body colouration is blue, lacking any yellow pigment, while that of female C. bellicosus always contains yellow pigment; Chindongo cyaneus is distinguished from C. bellicosus by the yellow cheek and breast which is black in male and gray to brown in female C. bellicosus; male C. flavus differ from those of C. bellicosus by their bright yellow/mustard ground colour, but females can have a similar colouration; female C. bellicosus have on average a deeper cheek than those of C. flavus, 25.6% of head length vs. 20.7%, but the ranges are overlapping, 21.6-30.9% of head length vs. 17.4-23.4%; male C. bellicosus are distinguished from those of C. longior by a black cheek and breast while this is fawn to gray-brown in C. longior; female C. longior are fawn with distinct black margins in the dorsal and anal fins while similar-coloured females of C. bellicosus lack such distinct black margins (Ref. 119465).
Description: Elongate species, body depth 22.8-30.9% of standard length, with greatest body depth at base of fifth or sixth dorsal-fin spine (Ref. 119465). Dorsal body profile with gradual downward curve to soft-rayed portion of dorsal fin then more steeply to posterior origin of dorsal fin, gradual taper to caudal fin; ventral body profile between pelvic and anal fins very flat with upward curve from anterior point of anal fin to caudal fin; head profile straight between snout tip and interorbital area, the snout makes about 70° angle with body axis; dorsal head profile round to dorsal-fin origin (Ref. 119465). Small subterminal mouth with lower jaw slightly shorter than upper; snout short with isognathic to retrognathic jaws; teeth in outer rows bicuspid anteriorly with small unicuspid teeth posteriorly in lower jaw and large unicuspids in upper jaw; teeth tricuspid in anterior inner rows, unicuspid in posterior rows (Ref. 119465). First dorsal-fin spine about one fourth length of last spine; soft dorsal fin with subacuminate tip, third or fourth ray longest, reaching to base of caudal fin in male and female; pectoral fin rounded, paddle-shaped; pelvic fin with 1 spine and 5 rays; anal fin with 3 spines progressively longer posteriorly; 7-9 rays with third or fourth longest, length reaching to base of caudal fin in both males and females; caudal fin subtruncate to emarginate; length of pelvic fin not to anal fin in females, to anterior base of anal fin in males (Ref. 119465). Flank scales large, ctenoid; abrupt difference to small cycloid scales on breast and belly; cheek with 3-6 rows of small scales; dorsal fin and anal fin with narrow proximal margin of tiny scales; tiny scales from base to 3/4 length of caudal fin (Ref. 119465).
Colouration: Population at Zimbawe Rock: males in territorial colour with blue/purple ground colouration and 4 distinct black bars on anterior half of flank; caudal peduncle blue/purple; breast dark blue/dark gray; belly brown/black; head black; dark brown opercle with lighter edge; anal fin black with 2-3 brown/yellow ocelli in posterior margin; pectoral fin with black rays and clear membranes (Ref. 119465). Female with light blue-gray or light brown ground colouration without distinct vertical bars; lateral scales brown with light blue center; caudal peduncle brown; belly and breast white/gray; head brown/gray; opercle with blue/green highlights; throat gray; anal fin gray without ocelli or with very small yellow/orange spots; pectoral fins with gray rays and clear membranes; pelvic fin with first two membranes black/gray and white leading edge (Ref. 119465). Males in territorial colour at Thumbi West Island with similar colour pattern as those around Zimbawe Rock, except with 4-6 distinct black bars on anterior half of flank; females with similar colour pattern as those at Zimbawe Rock, except with beige/blue or light brown ground colouration and 4-6 brown bars; lateral scales blue; caudal peduncle beige/blue; head beige with blue highlights; throat light brown; anal fin proximally blue (Ref. 119465). Males in territorial colour at Mumbo Island with similar colour pattern as those at Zimbawe Rock, except with 6 distinct black bars on anterior part of flank; females with similar colour pattern as those at Zimbawe Rock, except 4-6 gray bars on the flank; head brown with blue marks; opercle with light brown/yellow highlights; brown opercular spot (Ref. 119465). |
