Taxonomy of Finfish (1+2)

5.1.10 Meristic Counts for Cyprinids

Most meristic counts are as in Hubbs and Lagler (1964). 

1. Unbranched dorsal rays on the anterior margin of the fin articulate with the first two pterygiophores. Three unbranched rays are found on the first pterygiophore, and the last unbranched ray (the serrated spine), alone, is found on the second pterygiophore. 
2. Branched dorsal rays follow the unbranched rays and are counted as the number of separate, evenly placed. 
3. Unbranched anal rays, like their dorsal counterparts, are found on the first two pterygiophores of the anal fin. Two unbranched rays articulate with the first pterygiophore and the last unbranched ray articulates with the second pterygiophore. 
4. Branched anal rays follow the unbranched rays and are counted as is done for the dorsal fin. 
5. Branched pelvic rays include all rays medial to the principal unbranched ray. The count was usually taken on the left side unless the fin was damaged or abnormally developed. 
6. Branched pectoral rays are counted in a manner equivalent to the branched pelvic-ray count. 
7. Caudal-fin upper-lobe procurrent rays can be counted after making a small incision on the right side of the peduncle to remove portions of scales which overlay these tiny rays anterior to the principal ray. 
8. Caudal-fin lower-lobe procurrent rays can be dissected in the same manner as described for the upper lobe. 
9. Total gill rakers include all gill rakers on the anterior (leading) edge of the entire first gill arch. 
10. Epibranchial gill rakers denotes those found on the leading edge of the first epibranchial bone. Although one may occur close to the articulation of the epibranchial with the ceratobranchial, very few examples were found where attachment could not be determined. Any problematic rakers were included as part of the greater count on either the upper or lower arm. 
11. Ceratobranchial gill rakers are those found on the leading edge of the lower arm (ceratobranchial and rarely part of the hypobranchial) of the first arch. 
12. Lateral-line scales include only those anterior to the caudal-fin base, extending to and including the first to touch the cleithrum. 
13. Predorsal scales are counted on the dorsal midline. 
14. Upper transverse rows are counted diagonally forward from (but excluding) the lateral line and include the last scale of the predorsal midline. Because the last predorsal scale is included at unit value, there are no half-scale counts for this character. 
15. Lateral line to pelvic scale rows are taken on a forward diagonal from the lateral line and include the scale row that surrounds the point of pelvic-fin insertion. Rarely, this can be difficult to judge, but it is usually simple, especially on the large-scaled specimens. 
16. Lower transverse rows are counted on a backward diagonal from the lateral line to include the midline scale row between the anus and anal fin. 
17. Circumpeduncular scales are taken at the region of the least depth of the caudal peduncle. 
18. Circumferential scales are counted through the last full-scale rows anterior to the dorsal and pelvic fins, rather than farther forward on the belly where there may be more rows but insufficient landmarks to direct the count, resulting in additional counting error. 
19. Transverse breast rows are counted from the posteriomedial edge of the base of the pectoral fin to the same position on the opposite side. 
20. Snout tubercles include all tubercles anterior to the lacrinal groove. If only scars are present, they are counted as if they contain the recently shed tubercle. 
21. Cheek tubercles include all tubercles following the lacrimal groove, below the nostril and orbit, anterior to the preopercle. Scars are counted as above. 
22. Anal scale rows are counted as the number of free-edged scale rows between the anus and the anal fin.