u 



40 



STANDARD 



100 



L ENG TH 



130 

 (MM) 



190 



Figure 17. — Relation of length of dorsal lobe of caudal fin to standard length of Mullidae of the western North 

 Atlantic. For Pseudupeneus maculatus, large black circle indicates smallest nietamorphosed si)etimen (41.0 mm.) 

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



blotches were retained (one 189-mm. specimen had 

 four black blotches). The dark lateral midline 

 streak was obvious on some of the preserved 

 material. 

 Fins 



Spinous dorsal. — All specimens had eight dorsal 

 spines, the most anterior of which was minute 

 (fig. 22). 



Soft dorsal. — The adults had nine segmented 

 rays, the last eight of which were branched. In 

 the 18.5-mm. specimen, segmentation had occurred 

 in all but the first ray. Segmentation occurred in 

 the first ray at approximately 40 mm. In the 

 18.5-mm. specimen only the last ray of the soft 



dorsal was branched. Seven rays were branched 

 in a 29.0-mm. specimen, and all specimens 37.4 

 mm. and larger had eight branched rays. 



Pectoral. — Pectoral rays were counted on 56 

 specimens ranging from 18.5 to 197.0 mm., and 

 the counts plotted against size ranges (table 4, 

 p. 411) . The single specimen having 13 rays on the 

 right side, the side normally counted, had 15 on the 

 left. All three specimens under 30.0 mm. had 15 

 rays. In .specimens above 30 mm. there was no ap- 

 parent increase in number of individuals with 16 

 jiectoral rays over the number having 15 rays. 

 The fin has the adult complenuMit of rays at 

 40 mm. 



