| Moderate-size rostrum with terminal bifurcate spine; precocious development of pelvic fins (<2.6 mm, preflexion stage) and scales (about 4.3 mm, beginning of postflexion stage); anal fin rays 11-13 (present by postflexion stage; ray 1 becomes spine IV at about 14 mm); myomeres 9-11+15-17=25-26 (usually 11+15); pigment on rostrum and pelvic fins, none on tail through flexion stage.
Pigmentation:
Preflexion-postflexion: few over mid- and hindbrain, mainly along cranial ridges, increases gradually; internally on hindbrain, spreading onto spinal cord by about 3.3 mm; on rostrum at spine base; present or absent near tip of lower jaw; under upper part of opercle by 3.1 mm and lower part of preopercle by 3.6 mm; dorsolaterally on myomeres 1-3 by 3.2 mm, gradually spreading ventrad and caudad; on dorsal spines I-III by 4.3 mm, spreading to dorsal spine VII by 5.9 mm; dorsally on gut and gas bladder, spreading ventrad to surround gut by 3.6 mm; on distal 20-50% of pelvic fins. Rhynchichthys: heavily pigmented except little or none on snout, rostrum, jaws, caudal peduncle, fins (pectorals, second dorsal, anal, caudal); sides bright silver in life.
Sequence of fin development: pelvics, caudal, first dorsal, second dorsal and anal, pectorals. |