EGG INFORMATION
Egg Diameter (min-max in mm): Number of Oil Globules (min-max): Oil Globule Diameter (min-max in mm): Yolk: Chorion: Egg/Embryo Pigment: Pigment Diagnostics: Diagnostic Characters:
LARVAE INFORMATION
Hatch Size (min-max in mm SL): <9.5
4 Preanal Length (%SL): <50, increasing with development
Flexion Length (in mm SL): ~12 - 24
Length at Transformation (in mm SL): ~34 - >46
Fin Development Sequence: Caudal, anal, dorsal, pectorals, pelvics
Larval Pigment Regions: In each developmental larval stage, pigment is present in the regions listed below
(click for
pigment regions)
Yolk-sac:
Preflexion: dorsal gut,
Flexion: crown, dorsal gut, lateral gut,
Postflexion: mouth, crown, cheek, dorsal gut, lateral gut, dorsal, ventral, mediolateral,
Juvenile: dorsal gut, lateral gut, dorsal, ventral, mediolateral,
Pigment Diagnostics: Head pigment absent and one peritoneal patch in preflexion; in later stages, increasing number of peritoneal patches that decrease in size posteriad: 1-4 in flexion, 4-9 in postflexion, 8-12 in juvenile1
Diagnostic Characters: General morphology: long compressed body, short gut increasing in length with development, head increasing in relative size with development, elongate snout, well-developed preanal finfold, eyes initially ovoid and becoming round with development; pigment: above and below notochord along peduncle, peritoneal patches (1-4 in flexion larvae, 4-9 in postflexion larvae, 8-12 in juvenile)1 ; total number of myomeres (72-86). Distinguished from most paralepidids by: dorsal and anal fin ray counts and the last 5-6 peritoneal patches are smaller than others3
