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Larvae Information Summary for
Clarias gariepinus
| Main Ref: | Zaki, M.I. and A. Abdula 1983 | |||
Yolk-sac larvae
| max | min | mod | Ref. | |
| Length at birth (mm) | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 43949 |
| Preanal L. % TL |
| Place of development | in close association with substrate | |||
| Larval area | Lake Manzala, Egypt | |||
| Yolk-sac | elongated | Ref: | ||
| Yolk | Oil globules | |||
| Rows on tail | dorsal + ventral row | |||
| Other melanophores on tail | no other melanophores | |||
| Melanophores on head + trunk | melanophores on head + trunk | |||
| At hatching, there are 22 segments on the trunk, 27 in the tail. Gut is straight. At 5 mm, the vascular system develops, rudiments of the gill arches appeared. Ramified ducts of Cuvier appear on the lateral surfaces of the yolk sac. At 5.1 mm, the myotome numbers increased to 41, segmental vessels are visible in the trunk and the tail. The pronephros, located above the gut has developed. Ttwo pairs of dilated lobular barbels (0.13-0.05 mm) are visible. Eyes, 0.1 mm in diameter, are small. Semicircular canals began to form in the auditory vesicles. At 5.2 mm, the head is straight, mouth is inferior, third pair of barbels forms. Melanophores are visible dorsally and along the lateral line. Eye melanin present. At 5.7 mm, yolk sac decreases, operculum present covering the gills with well developed gill filaments. Melanophores on the entire head present, also in two bands along the dorsum, along the gut, and the lower ends of the caudal myotomes. Each of the 4 paired barbels is located on the maxillary, anterior mandibula, posterior mandibula, and nasal area. At 6 mm, strong pigmentation present on the anal finfold and on the yolk sac. Length of barbels increases. | ||||
Post larvae
| Striking feature | none | |||
| Striking shape lateral | normal (not striking) | dorsal | ||
| Striking feature | none | |||
| Shape of gut | elongated | |||
| Gas bladder early | visible | late | ||
| Spinal armature early | no spines | late | no spines | |
| Pigmentation early | ||||
| Rows on tail | dorsal row | |||
| Other melanophores on tail | no other melanophores | |||
| Melanophores on head + trunk | melanophores on head + trunk | |||
| Rows on tail | no rows | |||
| Other melanophores on tail | tail completely covered with melanophores | |||
| Melanophores on head + trunk | melanophores on head + trunk | |||
| Peritoneum | with row of melanophores | |||
| Pectorals | normal with rows of melanophores | |||
| Pelvics | normal (i.e. small or absent) with melanophores | |||
| At 6 mm, mouth is terminal, pectoral fins appear, dorsal and anal finfolds become broader, flexion achieved. At 7 mm, exogenous feeding starts, a rudimentary stomach appears, gas bladder and liver visible, taste buds develop along the entire margin of the finfold and the pectoral fins. At 8 mm, heavy pigmentation over the head and entire body. Lepidotrichia appers on the lower lobe of the caudal fin. At 8.5 mm, rudiments of the pelvic fin appears, lepidotrichia are completely formed in the caudal fin. Barbels grew as broad lobes. At 9 mm, first rays of the dorsal fin appear. At 12 mm, body almost black, 14 rays appear in the anal fin, 30 fin rays in the dorsal fin. At 16 mm, body is strongly pigmented. Number of rays in fins: D 62-82, A 50-65, P 10-12. Pectoral fin is half of head length. | ||||
| L 1st feeding | Ref. | Months of presence of larvae | ||||
| max | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | ||
| min | 7 | 43949 | May | Jun | Jul | Aug |
| mod | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
| Water parameters Metric characters |
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