90 



FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



At 7.3 mm. the fish has lost its larval fin fold and the fin rays are clearly differ- 

 entiated. The pigmentation remains essentially the same, but the lateral markings 

 have become more pronounced and the dashes are now joined to form narrow black 



Figure 12.— Pomatomus saltatrii. From a specimen 4.3 mm. long. 



bands. The number of chromatophores on the head and on the abdominal cavity 

 also increases (fig. 13). 



A later stage at 26 mm. no longer possesses the lateral bands but the entire body 



Figure 13. — Pomatomus saltatrii. From a specimen 7.3 mm. long. 



is covered with fine black dots. The caudal fin has become forked and the fins, 

 particularly the spinous dorsal, have become further developed (fig. 14). 



At 72 mm. the young bluefish closely resemble the adult, except that the young 

 fish has a silvery sheen in life and in preservation appears thickly peppered with fine 



FlGUEE 14.— Pomatomus saltatrii. From a specimen 26 mm. long. 



dots (fig. 15). Both figures 14 and 15 were furnished to the writer by Samuel F. 

 Hildebrand and Louella E. Cable. The bluefish represented in these illustrations 

 were taken off the coast of North Carolina, near Beaufort. 



CENTROPRISTES STRIATUS (Linnaeus). Sea bass; Blackfish 



Distribution. — Larval and early postlarval sea bass were secured during June 1929 

 and July 1929-30. Most young were taken in July 1929 at Station A. 



