YOUXG JACK CREVALLES 



483 



10 20 30 40 



STANDARD LENGTH IN MM 

 Figure 61. — Caranx bartholomaei: Relation of the length of the preopercular-angle spine to standard length. 



melanophores on the body of the 6.0-mm. speci- 

 men — one below the base of the dorsal fin and one 

 on the midline posteriorly. A few melanophores 

 are scattered over the body, the snout, mouth 

 parts, and operculum. A group of denser melano- 

 phores occurs over the eye on the transparent 

 portion of the head. A few pigment spots occur 

 on the interspinous membranes of the dorsal and 

 anal fins, on the pelvic fins, and along the base 

 of the anal soft-rays (fig. 48). 



The 8.1-mm. specimen has an appreciable in- 

 crease in the number of pigment spots on the 

 body, head, and first dorsal and pelvic fins. 

 Contrasting with the 6.0-mm. specimen, the two 

 elongated rows of dorsal and lateral melanophores 

 are not apparent, and there is only one pigment 

 spot at the base of the anal soft-rays. A dense 

 concentration of pigment occurs on the anterior 

 portion of the caudal peduncle, and the fleshy 

 portion of the caudal fin is conspicuously unpig- 

 mented (fig. 49). 



Pigmentation of the body has intensified and 

 appears dark between 10.5 and about 14 mm. 

 standard length (fig. 50). Between 14 mm. and 

 17 mm., 3 to 5 vague bars have formed — the 

 anterior ones are more distinct (fig. 51). Above 

 17 mm. (fig. 52) the full complement of 5 bars 



(rarely 4 or 6 on one or both sides of the body) is 

 present. Above about 19 mm. the posterior 2 or 

 3 bars tend to become angular with their dorsal 

 and ventral parts directed posteriorly and the 

 lateral line extending through their apex; above 

 about 22 mm. all of the bars become irregularly 

 distorted or wavy. By about 28 mm., the bars 

 begin to break into the mottled or spotted pattern 

 that lasts to over 95 mm. (figs. 53 and 54), although 

 this is not distinct in some specimens over 60 mm. 

 Traces of the posterior 2 or 3 bars persist along 

 the bases of the dorsal and anal fins of some 

 specimens to about 48 mm. 



The transparent part of the brain case has 

 become opaque by 14 mm., and the melanophores 

 on this area increase and are extended postero- 

 dorsally to form the nuchal band by about 17 mm. 

 (fig. 52). A small accumulation of pigment below 

 the eye gives the impression that the nuchal 

 band passes vertically through the eye (figs. 52 

 to 54). 



Pigment spots occur basally between the soft- 

 rays of the dorsal and anal fins at 10.5 mm. 

 (fig. 50). Pigmentation of the caudal fin is 

 pronounced by 25 mm. (fig. 53). Pigmentation 

 of all the fins intensifies to over 95 mm. (figs. 50 

 to 54). 



