| Main Ref. | |
| Appearance refers to | Male; Female |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | no special organs |
| Different appearance | always different morphology between mature adults |
| Different colors | males alike females |
| Remarks | Sexual dimorphism less pronounced compared with many Melanotaenia, which are frequently characterised by males having a much deeper body (up to about 50 percent of SL) and longer dorsal and anal fin-rays; in M. flavipinnis the adult male is only slightly deeper bodied, and has slightly longer finray elements than in females; longest soft dorsal-fin rays of males are located in the middle portion of the fin, in contrast to that of females, which are situated anteriorly; in addition, the depressed 1st dorsal fin of adult males extends to the base of the 2nd or 3rd soft ray of the 2nd dorsal fin, compared with the spine or 1st ray in females; body depth generally increases, especially in males; males-55-69 mm SL, 30.7-33.7% SL (x, = 32.3, N = 8); males-70+ mm SL, 34.8-36.1 % SL (x, = 35.5, N = 2); females less than 45 mm SL-29.1 % SL (N = l); females-45-54 mm SL, 27.8-30.1 % SL (x, = 28.6, N = 3); females-55-69 mm SL, 28.7-32.1 % SL (x, = 30.2, N = 5); females-70+ mm SL, 31.3% SL (N = 1) (Ref. 094793). |
| 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 | superior |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
Diagnosis: distinguished by the following combination of characters: dorsal rays usually V or VI-I, 11 to 14 (usually 13); anal-rays I,22-26 (usually 23 to 25); pectoral-rays 12 to 14 ( usually 14); lateral scales 34-36 (usually 35 or 36), predorsal scales 16 to 19 (usually 17 or 18); circumpeduncular scales 12 or 13; total gill rakers on 1st arch 16 to 19 ( usually 18 or 19); total scales covering preoperculum 11-16 (average 13.2); origin of 1st dorsal-fin clearly anterior to anal-fin origin; longest anal-fin ray conspicuously greater than caudal peduncle depth; greatest body depth of adult male relatively slender, 2.8-3.3 in SL; colour in life generally greenish dorsally with faint yellow stripe between each horizontal scale row; prominent midlateral blue stripe on posterior half of body, initially one scale row in width, but expanding to 2 rows (midlateral and row just below) on caudal peduncle; median fins generally yellow, except caudal fin greyish brown (Ref. 094793). |
| 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 | 16 - 19 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total |
| Attributes | no striking attributes |
| Fins number | 2 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | 4 - 6 |
| Soft-rays total | 11 - 14 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | forked; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total | 22 - 26 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays 12 - 13 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic before origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |