Morphology data of Actinopyga mauritiana
Identification keys
Main Ref. Conand, C., 1998
Appearance refers to

Sex attributes

specialized organs
different appearance
different colors
remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features
Body shape lateral
Cross section
Dorsal head profile
Type of eyes
Type of mouth/snout
Position of mouth
Diagnosis Maximum width: 10 cm (Ref. 418). Body wall thickness: 0.6 cm. Body elongate, arched dorsally (bivium and flattened ventrally (trivium). Bivium sometimes wrinkled; wider in the middle; and tapering towards both ends. Papillae on bivium long and slender. Podia numerous on trivium, stout and crowded on the radii and interadii; calcareous disc of podia around 500 micrometer in diameter. Mouth ventral, surrounded by 25 short and stout tentacles, with a large collar of long papillae at their base. Anus surrounded by 25 stout anal teeth. Calcareous ring showing large radial pieces and interradials with triangular top. Cuvierian tubules few (10), short pink, and never expelled. Color of bivium variable, usually dark brown, with more or less distinct whitish spots. Trivium grains, rods bearing small spines, and denticulate pseudo-plates; dorsal tegument without grains, but with rosettes and denticulate rods; podia with some spinous rods and large rosettes. Tentacles with large rods bearing small spines.
Ease of Identification likely to be confused with closely related species.

Meristic characteristics of Actinopyga mauritiana

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
Finlets No. Dorsal   
Ventral  
Spines total
Soft-rays total
Adipose fin

Caudal fin

Attributes

Anal fin(s)

Fins number
Spines total
Soft-rays total

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  
spines     
soft-rays   
Pelvics Attributes  
Position    
spines     
soft-rays   
Ref. [ e.g. 3742]
Glossary [ e.g. cnidaria]
Back to Search
Comments & Corrections