| Total myomeres 92-103; myomeres in preflexion stage 40-47+46-58, in flexion stage 52-56+36-49, in postflexion-transformation stage 52-62+36-42, an din pelagic juveniles 54-57+39-41; lack of postanal pigment in preflexion and flexion stages; gradually tapering body profile in postflexion-transformation stage and pelagic juvenile.
Well developed protrusible jaws; differentiated guts with open lumen and little yolk; elongate anterior dorsal elements (may be ornamented) and well-developed pelvic elements (may be ornamented with lengths to 40-60% NL).
Pigmentation:
Preflexion: on forebrain; anterior to cleithrum; anteriorly and dorsally on gut.
Flexion: increasing over ascending process of premaxilla; increasing laterally on gut.
Postflexion-transformation: increasing on jaw and laterally on body; on dorsal pterygiophores; series above anterior 75% of notochord; few in caudal region.
Juvenile: very fine, widely spaced over entire body; heavy over ascending process of premaxilla; around maxilla and under eye; heavy spots over pelvic fins and posterior to pelvic fins; 3 large spots on epaxial myomeres and dorsally posteriad from 3rd spot to caudal fin; on dorsal pterygiophores; sometimes light spot in dorsal pterygiophores at about anterior 20% BL.
Sequence of fin development: anterior dorsal and pelvics precocious, posterior dorsal, caudal, pectorals. |
