Morphology Data of Clarias platycephalus
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Teugels, G.G., 1986
Appearance refers to
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs no special organs
Different appearance males alike females
Different colors males alike females
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features none
Body shape lateral elongated
Cross section oval
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 sub-terminal/inferior
Type of scales scales embedded or partly/completely absent
Diagnosis

Diagnosis: head length 24.5-28.4% SL (Ref. 81644, 101841). Head broad, long and flattened, rectangularly outlined in dorsal view (Ref. 248), its width 17.4-21.9% SL (Ref. 81644). Eyes lateral; postorbital bones in contact (Ref. 81644). Interorbital distance 42.6-51.8% HL (Ref. 81644, 101841). Tooth plates extremely large (Ref. 248), width of premaxillary tooth plate 32.4-40.0% HL, and of vomerine tooth plate 26.4-36.2% HL (Ref. 101841). Frontal fontanelle somewhat intermediate between `sole-shaped' and `knife-shaped'; occipital fontanelle oval-shaped (Ref. 248). Pectoral spine straight (Ref. 248), strongly serrate on anterior margin only (Ref. 81644). 14 or fewer gill rakers (Ref. 101841), which are short and widely separated (Ref. 248). Supra-branchial organ consists of well-developed arborescent structures but not completely filling the cavity (Ref. 248). Dorsal fin length 60.4-65.6% SL; distance from dorsal to caudal fin 1.6-3.7% SL (Ref. 101841). Flank neuromasts arranged in a regular pattern (Ref. 81644).

Colouration: both in life and in preservation colouration is marbled: large irregular black blotches on a pale brown base present on back, flanks, dorsal and anal fins, and on posterior/upper side of paired fins; ventrum and lower parts of paired fins beige, as are distal parts of unpaired fins; caudal fin bears a series of pale and dark bands (Ref. 248, 81644, 101841). Never an irregular pattern of small white spots on body (Ref. 101841).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Clarias platycephalus

Lateral Lines 1 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 0
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) absent
Gill rakers
on lower limb
on upper limb
total 8 - 13
Vertebrae
preanal
total 59 - 63

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes extending over most of the back length
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   0
Ventral  0
Spines total
Soft-rays total 72 - 83
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes more or less truncate; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total
Soft-rays total 56 - 65

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     1
Soft-rays   8 - 11
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    abdominal  behind origin of D1
Spines     
Soft-rays   6 - 6
Main Ref. (e.g. 9948)
Glossary ( e.g. cephalopods )
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