Diagnostic characters: newly hatched larvae large and unpigmented (except for eye); distinguished from other pleuronectids with >60 myomeres by: no band pattern and overall lightly pigmented; distinguished from Hippoglossus stenolepis (both have large unpigmented yolksac larvae) by: depth of collection (>200 m); high myomere count (61-64); hatch size (10-16 mm SL). Metamorphosis begins when the fry reach 6-8.5 cm (Ref. 5504).
Pigment: ventrally and posterolaterally on gut; light ventrolateral pigment along body from above gut, some dorsal, along peduncle; also in finfold above and below tail (about posterior 1/3); increase in pigmentation in postflexion specimens.
Sequence of fin development: caudal, dorsal and anal, pelvics, pectorals. |