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Fishery Bulletin 91(2). 1993 



lor & Van Dyke 1985), except those occurring in collec- 

 tions taken during August-September 1976 («>16,000) 

 and August 1977 («>4000). During these periods of high 

 abundance, subsamples of over 2000 larvae from Au- 

 gust-September 1976 and >900 larvae from August 1977 

 were randomly selected and similarly processed. Herein 

 specimens <18mmSL are arbitrarily termed larvae, 

 whereas fish >18mm are termed juveniles (Markle et 

 al. 1982). Fish <~12mm were measured with an ocular 

 micrometer, while lengths of larger specimens were mea- 

 sured with a dial caliper ruler. The largest pelagic juve- 

 niles found were -40 mmSL. 



The following morphometric criteria were used 

 in the analysis: ( 1 ) height of pelvic fin/vertical 

 distance from base of pelvic fin to ventral mar- 

 gin of body; (2) mandible length/distance from 

 anterior tip of the dentary to posteroventral tip 

 of the angular; and (3) body depth at anus/ver- 

 tical distance from anterior end of anal-fin base 

 to dorsal surface immediately above. Morpho- 

 metric measurements were made with an ocu- 

 lar micrometer. The first interneural space was 

 defined as the space anterior to the first neural 

 spine. 



Hake larvae and juveniles possessing the 

 adult meristic complement were initially iden- 

 tified using published and unpublished meristic 

 data (Table 2). Meristic observations included 

 epibranchial gill rakers (left side examined), ab- 

 dominal vertebrae, and fin rays (dorsal, caudal, 

 pelvic). Observations were taken from both 

 cleared and stained material and from radio- 

 graphs of juvenile and adult museum specimens (App. 

 Table 1). 



Identification of smaller larvae was facilitated by 

 using morphometric criteria, patterns of interdigitation 

 between pterygiophores supporting the median fins and 

 the neural or haemal spines, and by defining the size 

 at which larvae attained various stages of fin-ray, ver- 

 tebral, and gill-raker development. Unfortunately, faded 

 pigmentation caused by specimen storage in formalin 

 and subsequent clearing and staining prevented use 

 and further description of larval pigmentation in the 

 present study. 



Table 2 



Ranges of meristic characters in Phycis chesteri and six species of Urophycis. Numbers in parentheses indicate meristic 

 ranges that were extended by the present study. Data sources are (1) Svetovidov 1948, (2) Hildebrand & Cable 1938, 

 (3) Bigelow & Schroeder 1953, (4) Leim & Scott 1966, (5) Miller & Jorgenson 1973, (6) Musick 1973, (7) Hoese & Moore 

 1977, (8) Markle 1982, (9) Fahay 1983, (10) Wenner 1983, (11) Methven 1985, (12) J.A. Musick, pers. commun., VIMS, 

 Gloucester Point VA 23062. 



In our material (n=205) U. tenuis never possessed <15 abdominal vertebrae. 

 b The third pelvic-fin ray in adult Urophycis and Phycis is rudimentary. 

 ' Urophycis tenuis occasionally has three epibranchial gill rakers. 



