490 



FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



Figure 68. — Caranx sp. (latas or hippos) juvenile, 8.3 mm. standard length (Gill 3, Spc. 8). 



Lateral line. — Not developed by 8.3 mm. stand- 

 ard length. 



Preopercular spines. — Apparently the preoper- 

 cular-angle spine begins to decrease in length at 

 some size between 5.4 to 8.3 mm. (figs. 79 and 

 94). The preopercular upper-limb spines number 

 3 or 4, and the lower-limb spines range from 4 to 

 6 (table 1). 



Pigmentation. — A row of elongated melan- 

 ophores is present on the midline, posteriorly of 

 specimens 5.4 to 6.3 mm. (figs. 65 and 66), but 

 this is absent at 6.9 and 8.3 mm. (figs. 67 and 68). 

 The scattered body-pigment spots and larger 

 melanophores on the transparent part of the 

 brain case increase in number from 5.4 to 8.3 

 mm. (figs. 65 to 68). 



A few pigment spots occur on the anal fin at its 

 base on some specimens (figs. 65 and 67), not on 

 others (figs. 66 and 68). Three pigment spots 

 occur on the membranes of the anal spines at 

 5.4 mm. (fig. 65), but not at other lengths. The 

 interspinous membrane of the first dorsal fin has 

 a few melanophores at 5.4 mm. (fig. 65); these 



increase in number to 8.3 mm., and tend to 

 become associated with the first 4 spines by 8.3 

 mm. (figs. 66 to 68). 



Distribution off Southeastern Atlantic Coast of the 

 United States 



All specimens (table 15) were taken to the east 

 of the 100-fathom line. One location of capture 

 was directly north of the Bahamas; the other 

 six were in association with the Gulf Stream (as 

 depicted by the approximate axis of the Stream in 

 figure 95). 



Spawning 



The spawning season, estimated from the size 

 ranges of the few larvae taken within this area, 

 extends at least from early February to early 

 July (figs. 80 and 96). By comparison, the 

 spawning of latus may terminate in July (fig. 80), 

 but that of hippos apparently extends into Sep- 

 tember (fig. 96). Specimens of the two most 

 northern locations of capture, 5.7 mm. and 6.3 

 mm., from off South Carolina, may have been 

 spawned within this area (table 15). 



