Morphology data of Thelenota anax
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 Mean live weight: 3500-6000 g. Body-wall thickness: 1.5 cm. Body firm, rigid, square-ish in cross-section, flattened ventrally (trivium). Bivium entirely covered with numerous characteristic, conical papillae and minute podia; bivium demarcated from the trivium by a row of large papillae. Podia numerous on trivium, with large disc, about 600 micrometer in diameter. Mouth ventral, surrounded by circle of 18 large brown tentacles. Anus terminal. Calcareous ring with large radial pieces and narrow interradials. Cuvierian tubules absent. Cloaca large. Bivium cream colored, with large beige dots; trivium generally beige; mature gonads deep purple. Spicules on tegument with branched spicules showing polygonal holes, and spicules in form of a "rose window", mostly abundant in the tentacles; tentacles also with straight, curved, or X-shaped rods; ventral podia with short, smooth rods; dorsal papillae with sparse, very long, spiny rods.
Ease of Identification likely to be confused with closely related species.

Meristic characteristics of Thelenota anax

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]
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