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Larvae Information Summary for
Atherinops affinis
| Main Ref: | Watson, W. 1996 | |||
Yolk-sac larvae
| max | min | mod | Ref. | |
| Length at birth (mm) | 5.4 | 4.3 | ||
| Preanal L. % TL |
| Place of development | planktonic | |||
| Larval area | California Current region | |||
| Yolk-sac | Ref: | |||
| Yolk | Oil globules | |||
| Rows on tail | dorsal + lateral row | |||
| Other melanophores on tail | no other melanophores | |||
| Melanophores on head + trunk | melanophores on head + trunk | |||
| Pigmentation: 3 (large) over midbrain, 1 over hindbrain; 16-19 on dorsal margin to last myomere; 4-17 on lateral midline of tail; dorsally on gut; scattered ventrally on yolk sac. | ||||
Post larvae
| Striking feature | none | |||
| Striking shape lateral | normal (not striking) | dorsal | tadpole-like | |
| Striking feature | none | |||
| Shape of gut | triangular | |||
| Gas bladder early | late | |||
| Spinal armature early | no spines | late | no spines | |
| Pigmentation early | ||||
| Rows on tail | ventral row | |||
| Other melanophores on tail | no other melanophores | |||
| Melanophores on head + trunk | melanophores on head | |||
| Pigmentation late | ||||
| Rows on tail | dorsal + lateral row | |||
| Other melanophores on tail | tail partly covered with melanophores | |||
| Melanophores on head + trunk | melanophores on head + trunk | |||
| Urostyle region early | pigmented | late | pigmented | |
| Pectorals | normal without melanophores | |||
| Pelvics | normal (i.e. small or absent) without melanophores | |||
| Myomeres 44-50, usually 10-11 + 37 to flexion stage, 11-13 + 34-35 thereafter; anal fin origin usually below about middle of 1st dorsal fin base; external ventral melanophores on gut, usually along longitudinal midline. Distinguished from Atherinopsis californiensis by: presence of melanophores along ventral body midline and ventral gut. Pigmentation: Preflexion-postflexion: 2 over forebrain and 1 at each nostril by 7.6 mm; under hindbrain by about 8 mm; on jaws, gill cover, and increasing on head after 8.2 mm; increasing on dorsum, forming on 2nd dorsal fin bases and spreading onto some rays by 13 mm; increasing on lateral midline, extending from myomere 4-5 to end of tail by 8.3 mm; series along ventral margin of tail by about 6-7 mm; internal series above and below vertebral column by about 10 mm; on hypural margin by about 8 mm; on caudal fin rays by about 10 mm; spreading ventrally on gut. Transformation: increasing on head, gut, dorsolaterally on trunk and tail, and on 2nd dorsal fin, anal fin, and caudal fin; lateral stripe broadens on tail. Sequence of fin development: caudal, 2nd dorsal and anal, pectorals, pelvics, 1st dorsal. | ||||
Meristic characters
| max | min | mod | Ref. | |
| Total number of vertebrae | 52 | 44 | 36497 |
| L 1st feeding | Ref. | Months of presence of larvae | ||||
| max | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | ||
| min | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | ||
| mod | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
| Water parameters Metric characters |
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