416 



FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



40 



70 



STANDARD 



100 

 LENGTH 



160 



190 



(MM) 



Figure 10. — Relation of postorbital head leugtli to standard lengtli nf Mullidae of the western North Atlantic. For 

 Pseudupcneiis inaculatns, large black circle indicates .smallest metamorphosed specimen (41.0 mm.) and large 

 open circle indicates large pelagic form (59.5 mm.). 



The measurements of the smallest metamoi'- 

 phosed specimen (41.0 mm.) captured with aid 

 of rotenone in a water depth not exceeding 2 

 fathoms (fio;. 3, upper), and of one of the largest 

 pelagic specimens (59.5 mm.) dip netted over a 

 water depth of 1,000 to 2,000 fathoms (fig. 3, 

 lower) , suggest the differences between dimensions 

 of metamorphosing or metamorphosed specimens 

 and those of pelagic specimens. All of the speci- 

 mens below 40 mm. were dip netted and pelagic, 

 and all of tlie specimens above 50 mm. were taken 

 with aid of rotenone or were trawled, and were 

 bottom-living, with the 59.5-mm. exception. 



Pigmentation 



The pelagic juveniles were preserved in for- 

 malin, and the transitional and metamorphosed 



forms were preserved in isopropyl alcohol after 

 being fixed in foi-nialin. An 18.5-mm. specimen 

 (fig. 7) was dark tan overall. In lateral view it 

 had a row of large chromatopliores along the en- 

 tire lateral midline. Thej were set so closely 

 together tliat they gave the impression of a solid 

 line. This impression was heiglitened by the 

 closely set, needle-thin fingers of dark brown pig- 

 mentation spreading from the matrices of these 

 chromatopliores. Above the lateral midline the 

 fingers spread obliquely upward and posteriorly; 

 below the lateral midline the fingers pointed 

 obliquely forward and vent rally. Immediately 

 below the dorsal fins there was a second row of 

 pigment spots paralleling tlte row along the lateral 

 niidline. Above and below the lateral midline. 



