| Myomeres 28-29 (usually 28; 8-10+18-20 in preflexion stage, 11-12+16-17 in postflexion stage); pectoral fin rays = 14-14 (usually 15, complete in postflexion stage); eye large compared with M. lugubris; pelvic fin pigment (when present) usually on proximal half of fin before about 10.5 mm; no pigment on dorsal margin before 6 mm, little or none on ventral margin before about 5.9 mm.
Pigmentation:
Preflexion: under hindbrain, spreading dorsad and extending over notochord to myomere 3-4 by 5.9 mm; over midbrain after 5 mm; anteriorly and dorsally on gas bladder and gut; 0-2 ventrally on tail; few proximally on pelvic fin rays.
Flexion-postflexion: increasing over mid- and hindbrain; usually a patch behind eye by 6.8 mm; over notochord to myomere 19 by 10.5 mm; along dorsal fin base beginning anteriorly at 6.0-6.3 mm, reaching caudal fin by 13.5 mm; along anal fin base beginning posteriorly at 5.9 mm, extending caudad and cephalad; between hypurals 2-3 and proximally over urostyle at 6.3-6.8 mm; often covering entire pelvic fins by 10.5 mm.
Transformation: completely pigmented except on pectoral fin rays; gut darkest.
Sequence of fin development: pelvics, dorsal and pectorals, caudal, anal. |