446 



FISHERY BULLETIN OP THE FISH AND "WILDLIFE SERVICE 



Body Proportions 



Nine of the 13 body dimensions (measured on 

 53 specimens) plotted against standard length 

 show an inflection in rate of increase with the 

 initial rate lower than that beyond the point of 

 inflection. For head length, body depth, eye 

 diameter, snout to spinous dorsal fin, and snout to 

 soft dorsal fin, the inflection occurs at about 

 60 to 70 mm. (figs. 9, 12, 13, 14, and 15, respec- 

 tively) ; for snout to anal fin the inflection, at 

 about 50 to 60 mm. (fig. 11) ; and for interorbital 

 space, barbel length, and snout length, at about 

 40 to 50 mm. (figs. 18, 19, and 20, respectively). 

 For length of first lower^limb gill raker an inflec- 

 tion occurs at about 40 to 50 mm., but the rate be- 



yond about 50 mm. is lower than initially (fig. 21) . 

 Constant rates of increase throughout the size 

 range of specimens examined are suggested for 

 postorbital head length, and lengths of ventral 

 and dorsal lobes of caudal fin (figs. 10, 16, and 17, 

 respectively). 



The inflections occur at or slightly after the 

 time the juveniles move inshore to assume a 

 bottom-dwelling existence. 



Pigmentation 



A 20.8-mm. specimen (fig. 36), preserved in 

 isopropyl alcohol, had a medium tan background 

 color. There was a lateral midline row of large 

 dark pigment spots which extended from the 

 upper posterior edge of the operculum to the 



-| 1 1 1 1 r 



• •• • • 



1 r 



o 

 m 



X 14 



o 



z 

 < 



m 

 o 



12 



10 



1 1 1 r 



« U. PARVUS 



* It. MAFTimCUS 



•••«w • • • 



• •• t 



*JL i t X 



X X «r nuean 



X XXXXIXXX XX 



XXX 



XXX jax y 



22 



20 



» U. PARVUS 



• M. MARTimCUS 



MM •• •• 



XX XXX XX XX 



XXXMMBkX n X XXX X XXX 



X X X • xxx 



q: 



UJ 



s 



o 



X X R H X 



J I I I I L 



J L. 



40 



70 100 130 



STANDARD LENGTH (MM) 



190 



Figure 35. — Lower-limb and ceratobranchial-bone gill rakers of Vpenem parvus and Mulloidichthys martinious. 



