| FishBase |
Larvae Information Summary for
Menidia menidia
| Main Ref: | Scotton, L.N., R.E. Smith, N.S. Smith, K.S. Price and D.P. de Sylva 1973 | |||
Yolk-sac larvae
| max | min | mod | Ref. | |
| Length at birth (mm) | 5 | 3.85 | ||
| Preanal L. % TL |
| Place of development | ||||
| Larval area | Delaware Bay | |||
| Yolk-sac | Ref: | |||
| Yolk | Oil globules | |||
| Melanophores on head + trunk | melanophores on head + trunk | |||
| Yolk is absorbed before hatching. Very long and slender and the gut is short. Black and yelow chromatophores are aggregated on the dorsal surface of the head and the dorsal region of the gut; black chromatophores are found on the ventral surface of the yolk-sac, in a row at the base of the ventral finfold, and in small groups at the base of the dorsal finfold toward the caudal region. | ||||
Post larvae
| Striking feature | none | |||
| Striking shape lateral | normal (not striking) | dorsal | ||
| Striking feature | none | |||
| Shape of gut | triangular | |||
| Gas bladder early | late | |||
| Spinal armature early | no spines | late | no spines | |
| Melanophores on head + trunk | melanophores on head + trunk | |||
| Melanophores on head + trunk | melanophores on head + trunk | |||
| Pectorals | normal | |||
| Pelvics | normal (i.e. small or absent) | |||
| At 5.5 mm, the yellow pigment is reduced and there is more black pigment on the dorsal surface of the head and anterior trunk. At 12-15 mm, the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins are fully formed, and the fish looks much like the adult. The silvery lateral band is not well formed at this stage. | ||||
| L 1st feeding | Ref. |
Months of presence of larvae
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| max | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | ||
| min | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | ||
| mod | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
| Water parameters Metric characters |
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