Morphology Data of Ostracion cubicum
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Myers, R.F., 1991
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs
Different appearance
Different colors always different colors between mature adults
Remarks Males have brilliant yellow sides and a blue dorsal surface. Females are basically yellowish-brown (Ref. 37175).

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features
Body shape lateral short and / or deep
Cross section
Dorsal head profile
Type of eyes
Type of mouth/snout
Position of mouth
Type of scales
Diagnosis

Caudal fin rays 10. Juveniles bright yellow with black spots; the spots decrease proportionately and the bright yellow becomes a dirty mustard with growth; large adults become bluish with yellowish seams between the plates.

Description: Characterized further by adults having numerous black spots on fins; juvenile with scattered black spots on head and body; carapace quadrangular in cross section, concave sides, broader at base than dorsally; more or less straight dorsal profile of snout, presence of bony protuberance above upper lip (absent in juvenile); rounded caudal fin (Ref. 90102).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Ostracion cubicum

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

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 0 - 0
Soft-rays total 8 - 9
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 0 - 0
Soft-rays total 9 - 9

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   10 - 11
Pelvics Attributes  suppressed/absent
Position    
Spines     0
Soft-rays   0 - 0
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
Comments & Corrections
Back to Search
cfm script by eagbayani, 17.10.00, php script by rolavides, 13/03/08 ,  last modified by sortiz, 06.27.17