Banded kokopu the dorsal and anal fins are positioned close to the tail fin, which is short and square. The caudal peduncle is short and deep, with thick fleshy flanges which join the tail fin. Adults are usually a dark, earthy brown or olive brown, with pale yellow vertical bands along the body. The belly is light coloured and unpatterned. Behind the operculum and above the pectoral fin is a silver or white mark, and sometimes a darker mark behind this. The bands either fade out top and bottom, or fork and crisscross the back of the fish. In small fish the
Caudal cell mass dysraphisms. These types of abnormalities arise from specific structures formed in the caudal mass, for example if proper differentiation of the caudal mass doesn't occur, it could result in a type of spinal dysraphism. One example of spinal dysraphism is caudal regression syndrome. Patients suffering from caudal regression syndrome can experience a varying degree of the abnormality ranging from partial lack of the tail bone and pelvis to more significant cases where there may be paralysis and, as a result, inhibited function in the bowel and bladder. This abnormality can be caused by the caudal cell mass not developing properly