| Old Text: | Females exhibit a bold spot near the end of the dorsal fin and generally have shorter fins than males.
| New Text: | Females exhibitare bluish in hue, lacking red colouration, and possess a boldprominent black spot nearthat is located in the endposterior portion of the dorsal fin: in some specimens this spot may extend slightly into the body adjoining the rear portion of the dorsal fin. Dorsal and generallyanal havefins are also shorter finsand less showy than those of males. Males possess distinctive stripes of red colouration across the body, which extend the whole length of the ventral section of the body, but which only extend from the rear to about halfway along the dorsal section of the body. The iridescent blue scales are particularly prominent in the dorsal body section not occupied by red stripes, the colour scheme leading to the popular name of "American Flag Fish" because the pattern is strikingly reminiscent of the Stars and Stripes, this pattern being interrupted only by a dark mid-body spot. Males also possess taller, more showy dorsal and anal fins than females, with red colour present in these fins in particularly fine specimens.
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Posted 02-Mar-2009 08:45
