FITCH and BARKER: FISH FAMILY MORIDAE 



Figure 2. — Drawing of right sagitta from Mora pacifica 

 illustrating features of Mora-group otoliths. 



Mora pacifica Waite, 191J^ {Figure IK) . — In 

 the illustrated specimen (9.5 mm long) the os- 

 tium measures 3.8 mm and the cauda, 5.7 mm. 

 The posteriormost 3.0 mm of the ventral canal 

 is expanded. The sagitta of M. 'pacifica (11 pairs 

 examined) differs consistently from that of M. 

 mora (5 pairs examined) in the configuration, 

 including angles, of the expanded anterior end. 

 In all Mora otoliths examined, the ratio of height 

 into length was 1:1.6 to 1:1.7. 



Halargyreus johnsonii Giinther, 1862 {Figure 

 IJ). — In the illustrated specimen (11.6 mm 

 long) the ostium measures 4.5 mm and the cauda, 

 6.6 mm. The posteriormost 3.2 mm of the ven- 

 tral canal is expanded. In the Halargyreus sa- 

 gittae examined (5 pairs), the ratio of height 

 into length was 1:1.20 to 1:1.21. This ratio is 

 sufficient to distinguish Halargyreus otoliths 

 from those of Mora, Antimora, and Lepidion. 



Antimora microlepis Bean, 1890 {Figure IG) . 

 — In the illustrated otolith (10.4 mm long) the 

 ostium is 3.9 mm long and the cauda, 5.9 mm. 

 The posteriormost 3.5 mm of the ventral canal 

 is expanded. The anterior ends of Antimora 

 otoliths bulge very slightly dorsally, a charac- 

 teristic which was grossly exaggerated in Kar- 

 rer's (1971) illustration by inadvertently rotat- 

 ing the otolith out of lateral alignment. Anti- 

 mora sagittae differ from those of Lepidion in 

 that the anteroventral portion is somewhat 

 pointed and extends well beyond the anterodorsal 

 profile. They differ from those of Mora and 

 Halargyreus in lacking the greatly expanded 



anterior end. More than 30 pairs of sagittae 

 from A. microlepis were examined. 



Lepidion eques {Giinther, 1887) {Figure 11). 

 — In the illustrated otolith (8.0 mm long), the 

 ostium is 3.3 mm long and the cauda, 4.2 mm. 

 The posteriormost 2.2 mm of the ventral canal 

 is expanded. The anterior ends of Lepidion 

 sagittae (4 pairs) are somewhat squared-off dor- 

 sally and project well beyond the anteroventral 

 angle, a characteristic which distinguishes Le- 

 pidion otoliths from those of Ayitimora. The 

 generally straight dorsal profile distinguishes 

 this otolith from those of Mora and Halargyreus. 



Figure 3. — Drawing of right sagitta from Pseudophycis 

 backus illustrating features of Pseiidophycis-growp 

 otoliths. 



Pseue/ophycis-group (Figure 3) 



Otoliths in this group are characterized by 

 having the ostium approximately equal in length 

 to the cauda. The crista superior is more than 

 three-fourths as long as the crista inferior. 

 Greatest otolith height typically is at about mid- 

 length, but in some {Auchenoceros) the anterior 

 end is expanded (highest). Sagittae of this 

 group that have been illustrated are Pseudo- 

 phycis bachus (Frost, 1926, as Physiculus bac- 

 chus; Karrer, 1971, as P. bacchus), P. barbatus 

 (Karrer, 1971), P. breviusculvs (Karrer, 1971), 

 Lotella rhacina (Karrer, 1971, as a member of 

 the Phystculus-group) , Auchenoceros punctatus 

 (Karrer, 1971) ; and Salilota australis (Karrer, 

 1971). 



Pseudophycis bachus {Bloch and Schneider, 

 1801) {Figure IE). — In the illustrated otolith 



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