other |
normal (not striking) |
|
other |
elongated |
|
|
|
|
dorsal + ventral + lateral row |
no other melanophores |
melanophores on head + trunk |
dorsal + ventral + lateral row |
no other melanophores |
melanophores on head + trunk |
strikingly large with rows of melanophores |
normal (i.e. small or absent) with melanophores |
Heavily pigmented except light on tail before about 7-8 mm and ventrally on head at all sizes; body pigmentation more or less uniform except lateral midline stripe is prominent in larvae smaller than about 8 mm; beak forms on lower jaw after about 5.5-6 mm; pectoral fin rays 12-14. Notochord flexion occurs before hatching.
Pigmentation:
Larvae: heavy dorsally and dorsolaterally from snout to last 1-3 myomeres, dorsolateral pigmentation initially light on last half of tail, becomes heavy by about 8 mm; series along lateral midline; series along ventral margin of tail; external ventrolaterally over gut and first few postanal myomeres, extending to last 1-3 myomeres by about 8 mm; pigment completely surrounds gut by 7 mm; light on mandible and opercular area, increasing by 7-8 mm; on pectoral and pelvic fin bases at about 7 mm, on rays at about 8 mm.
Transformation: heavily pigmented except light ventrally on head and along anterior dorsal midline, none on anal fin rays, upper caudal fin rays, or lower 5 pectoral fin rays.
Sequence of fin development: caudal, dorsal and anal and pectorals and pelvics. |