APRIETO: EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF FIVE CAR.ANG1D FISHES 



CO 



S 



s 



o 



CO 

 C4 



09 



i 



to 



09 



B 



s 



o 



09 



E 

 S 



o 

 00 



U 



J" 



09 

 S 



s 



<6 

 Q 



09 



s 

 s 



1^ 



09 



s 

 s 



09 



s 



s 



CO 



u 



e 

 a 



■Si 

 I 



a 



Fin Development 



The dorsal, anal, caudal, and pectoral finfolds 

 are distinct in the smallest larvae (3.0 mm), but 

 the fin rays begin to ossify at 4 to 5 mm in the 

 following sequence: 1) caudal; 2) dorsal, anal, and 

 pectoral; 3) ventral (Table 7). 



The pectoral fin rays are differentiated at 5 mm, 

 and the full complement of 19 to 21 rays is present 

 at 11 mm. 



The pelvic fin buds are present at 4 to 5 mm, but 

 the fin rays ossify at 6 mm, and the full comple- 

 ment of 1 spine and 5 soft rays is formed at 7 mm. 



As in E. bipinnulata and S. zonata, ossification 

 of the dorsal and anal fin rays proceed anteropos- 

 teriorly. The full complement of 8 spines in the 

 first dorsal fin and of 1 spine and 31 to 34 soft rays 

 in the second dorsal fin is present at 10 mm. At this 

 stage also, the ultimate fin rays gradually sepa- 

 rate from the dorsal and anal fins and each 

 modifies into a much branched finlet. The anal fin 

 rays start to ossify at 5 mm, and the full comple- 

 ment of 3 spines and 27 to 31 rays is completed at 

 9 mm. 



The pattern of caudal fin formation is generally 

 similar to that of £■. bipinnulata. Caudal fin struc- 

 tures initially develop at 4 mm, and all 17 principal 

 rays are present at 6 mm. The full complement of 

 9 dorsal and 9 ventral secondary rays is formed at 

 13 mm. Unlike E. bipinnulata, only two median 

 epurals are normally developed as the center 

 epural is markedly reduced. 



Distribution and Spawning 



Adults of D. punctatus have been reported from 

 both sides of the Atlantic from Nova Scotia to 

 Brazil (Jordan and Evermann, 1896) and West 

 Africa (Fowler, 1936). The first record of the lar- 

 vae was reported by Hildebrand and Cable (1930) 

 in Beaufort, N. C. They noted that spawning oc- 

 curred throughout the summer or from May to 

 November with a peak from July to September. 

 Larvae and juveniles 2 to 50 mm long were present 

 in inshore as well as offshore waters, possibly ex- 

 tending beyond the Gulf Stream, from the sur- 

 face to the bottom up to a depth of 20 fathoms. In 

 the present study, larvae and juveniles of D. 

 punctatus were taken in all the months during 

 the routine fish larvae sampling in the Gulf 

 Stream off Miami and in numerous net stations 

 in the Gulf of Mexico and the south Atlantic 

 coast. Spawning occurs in pelagic inshore as well 



429 



