RICHARDSON and JOSEPH: LARVAE AND YOUNG OF BOTHIDS 



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Figure 8. — Adult stages of A) Eirupus microstumus (64 mm SL) and B) Ciiharichthys arctifrons (69 mm SL). 



and lies beneath the center of the gut cavity. As 

 metamorphosis approaches, the coils of the gut 

 become obscured by overlying musculature. 



Eye shape tends to be roughly spherical be- 

 coming more smoothly rounded with increas- 

 ing age. A ventral cleft of the eye is apparent 

 in larvae of both species from 3.0 mm up to 

 metamorphosis. 



The gas bladder is developed dorsal to the 

 gut region in the smallest specimens of both 

 species. It becomes increasingly prominent 



during larval development, but disappears dur- 

 ing metamorphosis. 



Metamorphosis occurs at 10-12 mm in E. 

 microstomus and at 13-15 mm in C. arctifrons. 

 Some variation was found in that a few speci- 

 mens of E. microstomus were not transformed 

 by 12 mm and some specimens of C. arctifrons 

 had begun to do so at 12 mm. During metamor- 

 phosis, the right eye moves over the dorsal 

 ridge of the head in front of the dorsal fin, the 

 body deepens, the facial bones become distorted 



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