100 



FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



Apparently the young oysterfish soon adopt the characteristic bottom habitat, 

 for no fish over 45 mm. were obtained in the plankton. The young were taken 

 largely over oyster reefs, where spawning probably occurs. 



Description. — The young ranged from 2 to 4.5 mm. in length. They are rather 

 broad, anteriorly depressed and posteriorly compressed, somewhat similar to the 

 adult. The body pigmentation is heavy, consisting of diffuse chromatophores very 

 similar in arrangement to those on the young tautog (Tautoga onitis). The pos- 

 terior caudal region of both species remains free from pigment. 



Larval Gobiesox resembles larval Tautoga closely. Care is essential in distin- 

 guishing the larval fish of these two species, which are at times found to occur simul- 

 taneously in the plankton. Young Gobiesox possesses a less distinctive chromato- 







'it 



»5 





o .«i 





p.' 



'■>'■'; 



<*-P' 





Figure 26.— Astroscopus guttatus. 



Dorsal surface of head; from a specimen 235 mm. long. 

 (1928). 



From Hildebrand and Schroeder 



phore pattern and the pigmentation does not extend so far back on the body as in 

 Tautoga. Gobiesox also has a shorter gut and lacks the black-tipped upper jaw 

 most characteristic of young Tautoga. 



SPHOEROIDES MACULATUS (Bloch and Schneider). Puffer 



Distribution. — The young of the puffer were taken from June 5 to Aug. 15, 1929, 

 and from May 9 to Sept. 2, 1930. 



Description. — The lengths of the fish ranged from 1.5 to 4 mm. The early 

 stages of the puffer have been described by Welsh and Breder (1922). 



LOPHIUS PISCATORIUS Linnaeus. Goosefish 



Distribution. — The young of this species were taken in small numbers during 

 May 1930 at Stations A, B, and C. Since the adult fish are rarely taken within the 

 bay, spawning probably occurs offshore. Hildebrand and Schroeder (1927) secured 

 newly hatched young on June 10, 1916, in the lower bay. 



Description. — The young ranged from 3 to 5.5 mm. in length. Bigelow and 

 Welsh (1925) have described the larvae of the species. 



