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Larvae Information Summary for  Tautoga onitis
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Main Ref: Victor, B.C. 1986
Yolk-sac larvae
  max min mod Ref.
Length at birth (mm)     2.2 39018
Preanal L. % TL        
Place of development planktonic
Larval area Northwestern Atlantic Ocean
Yolk-sac ovoid     Ref:  
Yolk   Oil globules no oil globule
Rows on tail dorsal + lateral row
Other melanophores on tail no other melanophores
Melanophores on head + trunk melanophores on trunk
Vent is halfway between snout and tip of tail. Number of melanophores greatly increases after the first day. Pigmentation: melanophores confined to dorsal and dorso-lateral portions of body; caudal region unpigmented (in cunner larvae pigment exends to tail).
Post larvae
Striking feature none
Striking shape lateral normal (not striking) dorsal  
Striking feature none
Shape of gut  
Gas bladder   early   late  
Spinal armature   early no spines late no spines
Pigmentation early
Rows on tail dorsal + ventral + lateral row
Other melanophores on tail tail completely covered with melanophores
Melanophores on head + trunk melanophores on head + trunk
Pigmentation late
Rows on tail dorsal + ventral + lateral row
Other melanophores on tail tail completely covered with melanophores
Melanophores on head + trunk melanophores on head + trunk
Pectorals normal  
Pelvics normal (i.e. small or absent)  
T. onitis larvae distinguished from cunner, Tautogolabrus adspersus larvae by the uniformly scattered black pigment on the body. Pigment on the cunner is concentrated in three definite patches. Pigmentation: body covered with pigment. Sequence of fin development: caudal fin (5 mm) dorsal, anal and caudal differentiated at 10 mm.
  L 1st feeding Ref. Months of presence of larvae    Ref. 
max     Jan Feb Mar Apr
min   May Jun Jul Aug
mod     Sep Oct Nov Dec
Water parameters     Metric characters
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