No external pigment over hindbrain before transformation stage; usually on trunk or tail before about 14 mm except lateral stripe which ends at myomere 34-35 in larvae and is constricted in same area in juveniles; internal pigment in tail is sparse; second dorsal insertion above 3rd or 4th from last anal fin ray; myomeres usually 7-8 + 30-31 = 38-39 through postflexion stage, 13+25 in transformation and juvenile stages.
Pigmentation:
Flexion-transformation: 1 (large) posteriorly over midbrain; 2 anteriorly over midbrain, number increases; over forebrain, near nostrils, and on upper lip after 12 mm; ventrally on brain, spreading around brain by about 25 mm; under gill cover; anteriorly and dorsally on gut, surrounding it by about 25 mm; midlateral series on tail, spreading from myomeres 16-34 in flexion stage to 4-5 through 35 by about 25 mm; internally on hypurals and urostyle; few over last few vertebrae and under most caudal vertebrae by about 11 mm; on hypural margin in postflexion stage; on bases of some anterior dorsal and anal fin rays after about 12 mm.
Juvenile: broad lateral stripe, constricted at about myomeres 34-36, then expanded into diamond shape; heavy on distal half of caudal fin.
Sequence of fin development: caudal, 2nd dorsal and anal and pectorals, 1st dorsal and pelvics. |