FishBase |
Main Ref: | Jones, P.W., F.D. Martin and J.D. Hardy Jr. 1978 |
max | min | mod | Ref. | |
Length at birth (mm) | 7 | 3 | ||
Preanal L. % TL |
Place of development | in open nest | |||
Larval area | Mid-Atlantic Bight | |||
Yolk-sac | ovoid unpigmented | Ref: | ||
Yolk | Oil globules | |||
Melanophores on head + trunk | melanophores on head | |||
Total myomeres: 60. By about 10 mm, incipient rays as follows: D. 47; A. 9; C. 16; P. 14. Body "tadpole-like", flexed at hatching, straightened by 2nd day. Yolk initially spherical and with prominent vitelline vessels; egg-shaped at 1 day; posterior end distinctly pointed, ventral surface concave, and anterior part covered by opercular flap by about 7.0 mm; greatly reduced by 10.5 mm. Mandible distinct by about 9.0 mm. At about 10.0 mm, adhesive organ reduced to small, non-functional tubercle; gular plate visible; maxillary and premaxillary established. Mouth functional by 11.0 mm. Eye oval at hatching. Choroid fissure still evident at about 7.2 mm. Pectorals oblique in specimens 6-8 mm long, vertical at 9-10 mm, and with ossified support elements at 11.0 mm. Origin of dorsal finfold over pectorals at 10 mm, further back at earlier stages. Lateral line evident anteriorly at 1 day. Pigmentation: At hatching, body pale, flesh-colored; yolk sac deep sepia or pale slate; eye with traces of pigment. At 6-8 mm, pigment developed on head. At 12 mm, Body dark greenish black, greenish brown, or black above, dirty white below; iris metallic golden. |
Striking feature | none | |||
Striking shape lateral | normal (not striking) | dorsal | ||
Striking feature | none | |||
Shape of gut | ||||
Gas bladder early | late | |||
Spinal armature early | late | |||
Melanophores on head + trunk | melanophores on trunk | |||
Melanophores on head + trunk | melanophores on trunk | |||
Pectorals | normal | |||
Pelvics | normal (i.e. small or absent) | |||
Body tadpole-like; jaw shorter than upper. Adhesive disc evident as small, median opening at apex of upper jaw at 17-18 mm; no longer visible, except histologically, at 20 mm. Skull cartilaginous at 15-16 mm. Gular plate 4-lobed at about 13 mm. Nasal openings fully established by 10th day (about 13 mm), developing as tube-like outgrowths by about 15th day. Pelvics first evident at 10-11mm; preanal finfold lost by about 29 mm. Scales first evident by about 26 mm, entire trunk region scaled at about 29 mm; lateral line complete at about 11 mm. Urostyle tipped slightly upward at 21 mm, conspicuously upturned and extended into dorsal lobe of caudal at about 25 mm. Pigmentation: At 9-11 mm, body deeply pigmented with brown; at 12-30 mm, back and sides black and acquiring a greenish hue. |
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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