| Early pigment pattern, particularly on pectoral fins; composition, location, and sequence of formation of dorsal and ventral postanal pigment series; head spines not strongly developed.
Pigment increases from extrusion larvae through flexion (Ref. 265).
Pigmentation:
Preflexion: initially, 1 or 2 above brain, 1 at nape, dorsolaterally on gut and some ventrally, 8-13 in postanal ventral series, (from 5th-6th to 14th-18th postanal myomere); before 5.0 mm, at tip of lower jaw, 1 or 2 on inner surface of pectoral fins, streaks on pectoral fin blade, 1 or 2 more on nape, solid over midbrain, 2-4 in postanal dorsal midline series (from 13th-16th to 17th-18th postanal myomere), and 1 at hypural region (some specimens); by end of stage, 9-13 in postanal dorsal series, solid on nape, solid above forebrain, solid on inner surface of pectoral fin base, most of pectoral fin blade covered (concentrated distally), embedded above spinal column at 17th-18th postanal myomeres.
Flexion: 11-19 in postanal dorsal series, 8 or more in series above spinal column, laterally on upper jaw, opercular region, between nape and pectoral fin base, and on dorsum extending posteriad from nape.
Sequence of fin development: pectorals, caudal and dorsal and anal and pelvics. |
