Main Ref.	Peña Cantero, A.L. and W. Vervoort, 2003
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	Colonies compact (up to 7 cm in diameter), mono- or polysiphonic, without distinct main stem. Branching subdichotomous and in one plane; branching pattern, however, hidden by presence of anastomoses, giving the colony an appearance of a dense net. Branches with perisarc constrictions, delimiting internodes of variable length and of approximately same diameter. Hydrothecae present along whole length of colony and arranged in decussate verticils, typically with three to four hydrothecae per verticil, forming six to eight longitudinal rows. Verticils of hydrothecae closely packed; distal part of hydrothecae in a verticil sometimes overlapping basal part of hydrothecae in verticil above.
Ease of Identification	likely to be confused with closely related species.

Meristic characteristics of Staurotheca densa

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