Morphology Data of Laeviscutella dekimpei
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Gourène, G. and G.G. Teugels, 2003
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 fusiform / normal
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 terminal
Type of scales cycloid scales
Diagnosis

Diagnosis: Laeviscutella dekimpei is distinguished by its congeners by the following characters: belly rounded, prepelvic scutes 7 or 8, with lateral arms but without keels and hidden by scales; postpelvic scutes without arms, but supporting a low membranous keel; lower gillrakers 21 to 26 (Ref. 188, 81269, 81631). In all other West African pellonulines with scutes, the postpelvic scutes have lateral arms, except Sierrathrissa, in which the prepelvic scutes also lack arms and the pelvic fin insertion is well before the dorsal fin origin (Ref. 188, 81631).

Description: Small and fairly slender body, moderately compressed, its depth 22-25% of standard length (Ref. 188, 42928). Jaws subequal, lower jaw projecting slightly (Ref. 42928). Teeth present on dentary, premaxilla, maxilla, vomer and tongue; pre-maxilla with a single series of small pointed teeth; maxilla with lower border indented anteriorly, expanded portion with fine teeth along lower edge; a single, posterior, supra-maxilla with slender anterior shaft and diamond-shaped expanded portion; maxilla reaching to about anterior border of eye; a series of 5-6 small pointed teeth in lower jaw on either side of the dentary symphysis; a single series of fine teeth on the tongue (Ref. 2849, 42928, 81269, 81631). Adipose eyelids present but barely developed (Ref. 42928). Gill rakers fine and slender; first gill arch with 21-26 gillrakers on lower limb (Ref. 42928, 81269, 81631). Dorsal fin inserted approximately above pelvic-fin origins; dorsal fin with 3-4 unbranched and 11-13 branched rays; anal fin with 3 unbranched and 14-17 branched rays; pectoral fin with 1 unbranched and 11-12 branched rays; pelvic fin with 1 unbranched and 7 branched rays, its insertion below about dorsal fin origin (Ref. 188, 2849, 42928, 81269, 81631). Scales in longitudinal series about 38 (Ref. 93833). Belly rounded with non-keeled prepelvic scutes provided with ascending arms and keeled postpelvic scutes lacking ascending arms; 7-8 prepelvic and 5-6 postpelvic mid-ventral scutes (Ref. 42928, 81269, 81631). Number of vertebrae in juveniles, not reached their metamorphosis: 39-42 (Ref. 1989).

Colouration: Alcohol-preserved specimens are generally pale yellow to yellowish-grey (Ref. 2849, 81269, 81631); with pale trace of midlateral stripe from gill opening to caudal base, slightly wider and more distinct along the posterior half of body; dorsally, a median double series of small melanophores, becoming larger and more dense on either side of the dorsal fin and post-dorsally; a series of small melanophores extending midlaterally from under the second half of the dorsal fin to the caudal base, becoming denser and larger posteriorly; a melanophore at the base of each anal ray; bases of outer caudal rays dotted with melanophores, and a dark posterior outline to the caudal peduncle; melanophores dotted on the pre-maxilla, the shaft of the maxilla and on the dentary; fins colourless (Ref. 42928).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Laeviscutella dekimpei

Lateral Lines Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line
Pored lateral line scales
Scales in lateral series 38 - 38
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 21 - 26
on upper limb
total
Vertebrae
preanal
total 39 - 42

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes no striking attributes
Fins number 1
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total 0 - 0
Soft-rays total 14 - 16
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes forked; more or less normal

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total 0 - 0
Soft-rays total 17 - 20

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     0
Soft-rays   12 - 13
Pelvics Attributes  more or less normal
Position    abdominal  beneath origin of D1
Spines     0
Soft-rays   8 - 8
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