SPECIES NAME: Lutjanus purpureus Poey, 1867

DORSAL FIN:

Summary:

The dorsal fin is single and continuous, the first half being spinous. There are 10 (rarely 11) dorsal spines, and 13 to 15 (usually 14) soft rays. The soft rays bear a moderately wide sheath of scales at their base; and the anterior and posterior soft rays are neither elongated nor produced into filaments. The anterior rays are not significantly taller than the posterior rays.

Literature:

References to Lutjanus purpureus Poey, 1867: Allen 1985: Page 49 (key) - "Dorsal fin with usually 10 spines and 14 soft rays (rarely 9 or 11 spines and 13 or 15 soft rays)..." Page 110 (text) - "Dorsal fin with 10 spines and 14 soft rays..."

References to genus Lutjanus: Jordan and Evermann 1898: Page 1247 (as genus Neomaenis Girard, 1859) - "...soft rays of dorsal and anal scaly at base; dorsal spines 10 (rarely 11), continuous with the soft rays..." Masuda et al., ed. 1991: Page 169 (text) - "...scale sheath of dorsal and anal fin moderately wide; number of fin rays, DX-XI, 12-14..." Allen 1985: Page 13 (key) - "Base of dorsal and anal fins, especially soft portions with covering of scales" "...anterior portion of soft dorsal and anal fins not significantly taller than posterior part, the anterior fin rays never produced into elongate filaments..." Page 14 (key) - "Dorsal spines 10 to 12 (10 or 11 in most species)..." Page 33 (text) - "Dorsal fin continuous, often with a slight notch between the spinous and soft portions, with 10 or 11 spines and, 11 to 16 soft rays..." "...dorsal and anal fins scaled..."

References to subfamily Lutjaninae: Masuda et al., ed. 1991: Page 168 (text) - "...soft rays of dorsal and anal fins slightly covered with scales..." "...last soft rays of dorsal and anal fins not elongate..." Allen 1985: Page 3 (text) - "...scaly sheaths at the bases of the dorsal and anal fins..." "...and without filamentous soft dorsal or anal rays."

References to family Lutjanidae: Boschung et al. 1983: Page 603 (text) - " The dorsal fin is single and continuous..." Eschmeyer and Herald 1983: Page 215 (text) - "Usually 1 continuous dorsal fin, 1st half spinous." Masuda et al., ed. 1991: Page 166 (text) - "... a single dorsal fin without a notch on upper margin...." Moyle and Cech 1988: Page 293 (text) - "...continuous dorsal fin..."