Morphology Data of Caranx melampygus
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Smith-Vaniz, W.F., 1999
Appearance refers to Male; Female
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features
Body shape lateral fusiform / normal
Cross section compressed
Dorsal head profile more or less straight
Type of eyes eyes with fixed fatty (adipose) tissue/eyelids
Type of mouth/snout more or less normal
Position of mouth terminal
Type of scales cycloid scales
Diagnosis

This species is distinguished by the following characters: gill rakers (including rudiments) 5-9 + 17-21 = 25-29 (usually 26-27); breast completely scaly; straight part of lateral line with 0-10 anterior scales followed by 27-42 strong scutes; adipose eyelid weakly developed, small anteriorly, posterior adipose eyelid extends onto eye to rear border of pupil in large adults; upper jaw with outer row of strong canines widely spaced in adults, and an inner band of small villiform teeth, widest at symphysis; lower limb of first gill arch jaw with a single row of strong

conical teeth widely spaced in adults. Colour of adults with head and dorsal half of body brassy, suffused with blue, and covered with small blue black spots (forming at about 16 to 22 cm fork length and increasing in number with size); second dorsal, anal, and caudal fins electric blue; juveniles and young adults, head and body silvery grey and fins pale to dark dusky, except pectoral fins yellow (Ref. 9894, 90102).

Description: Body oblong and compressed, dorsal profile moderately convex to second dorsal fin, ventral profile slightly convex (Ref. 90102). Pectoral fins falcate (Ref. 2334).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Caranx melampygus

Lateral Lines 1 Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line 0 - 10
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 17 - 21
on upper limb 5 - 9
total 25 - 29
Vertebrae
preanal 10 - 10
total 24 - 24

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes no striking attributes
Fins number 2
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 9 - 9
Soft-rays total 21 - 24
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 2
Spines total 3 - 3
Soft-rays total 17 - 21

Paired fins

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