424 



FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



Juvenile. — Defined as commencing with the end 

 of the larval stage and terminating with the attain- 

 ment of sexual maturity. Size at the juvenile- 

 adult transition stage has not been determined for 

 any species because of the scarcity of records and 

 specimens of mature individuals (the smallest adult 

 recorded is a 225-mm. crysos). The juvenile fish 

 develop body bars (blotches in bartholomaei) at 

 about 15 to 20 mm. that persist to about 100 to 200 

 mm.; the size at disappearance of the bars varies 

 with the species. The loss of these bars may have 



some connection with the onset of sexual maturity. 

 Spines on the preoperculum are present on larval 

 forms and disappear during the juvenile stage (be- 

 tween 16 mm. and 45 mm., varying with the 

 species). These spines are considered larval 

 structures that persist into the juvenile stage 

 rather than a character that delimits the larval 

 stage. 



Adult. — Defined as commencing with the onset 

 of sexual maturity. 



KEY TO WESTERN ATLANTIC SPECIES OF CARANX 



A key that would identify the seven species at ments of dorsal and anal soft-rays have corn- 

 all sizes could not be constructed because a com- pleted formation by 8 mm. (fig. 1). Although 

 plete size series was not available for comparison. latus and hippos were not separated in specimens 

 The following key is intended for use with speci- less than 10 mm., a "latus and/or hippos" series 

 mens larger than approximately 14 mm. standard can be distinguished as having a greater depth at 

 length, the minimum size at which counts of gill pelvic than does erysos or bartholomaei (fig. 9). 

 rakers can be considered adequately accurate for Below 10 mm., the second anal spine is shorter in 

 taxonomic separation (fig. 2). The adult comple- bartholomaei than in crysos (fig. 4). 



A. Lower-limb gill rakers 31 to 35 ruber, 



(D. 26 to 30; A. 23 to 26; G. R. 10 to 14 + 31 to 35) 

 AA. Lower-limb gill rakers, 23 to 28 



B. Mean number of scutes more than 35 on specimens larger than 50 mm. Mean lateral-line ratio more than 1.0. 

 Dorsal-fin third spine shorter than first soft-ray (on specimens larger than 70 mm.) crysos, 



(D. 22 to 25; A. 19 to 21; G. R. 10 to 14 + 23 to 28) 

 BB. Mean number of scutes less than 35 on specimens larger than 50 mm. Mean lateral-line ratio less than 1.0. 



Dorsal-fin third spine longer than first soft-ray on specimens larger than 70 mm dentex, 1 



(D. 24 to 27; A. 20 to 23; G. R. 11 to 13 + 26 to 28) 

 AAA. Lower-limb gill rakers 16 to 21 



C. Dorsal soft-rays 25 to 28 bartholomaei, 



(D. 25 to 28; A. 21 to 24; G. R. 6 to 9 + 18 to 21) 



CC. Dorsal soft-rays 19 to 23 



D. Color brown to sooty black lugubris, 2 



(D. 21 to 23; A. 17 to 20; G. R. 6 or 7 + 19 to 21 

 DD. Color green, yellow, and silver in adults; dark body bars in juveniles to more than 100 mm.; never com- 

 pletely brown or black 



E. Chest completely scaled on specimens larger than 20 to 25 mm. Pigment of first dorsal fin concentrated 

 between first and fourth spines in specimens about 17 to 45 mm. Pigment of posterior three body bars 



terminates immediately below straight lateral line on most specimens between about 20 to 60 mm latus, 



(D. 19 to 22; A. 16 to 18; G. R. 6 or 7 + 16 to 18) 

 EE. Chest with only a small patch of scales before pelvics on specimens larger than 25 mm. (fig. 85). Pig- 

 ment of first dorsal fin spread over entire fin on specimens about 17 to 45 mm. Pigment of posterior 



three body bars extends to base of anal fin on specimens between about 15 to 60 mm hippos, 1 



(D. 19 to 21; A. 16 or 17; G. R. 6 to 9 + 16 to 19) 



1 Specimens of dentex of less than 87 mm. standard length apparently have not been described, and characters suggested for use below this size are specu - 

 lative. A partial separation of crysos and dentex may be effected by the number of dorsal and anal scft-rays: crysos with D. 22 or 23, A. 19 and dentexv/ith D. 2d 

 or 27, A. 22 or 23. 



 Specimens of lugubris below 240 mm. standard length apparently have not been described. Above this size lugubris can be separated from latus and hippos 

 by its blunter profile, higher mean lateral-line ratio (see fig. 93), and longer second dorsal fin lobe or first soft-ray length. A partial separation may be effected 

 by numbers of dorsal and anal soft-rays and lower-limb gill rakers: lugubris with D. 23, A. 19 or 20, O. R. 20 or 21, and lotus and hippos with D. 19 or 20, A. 16, 

 ''. H 16 to 18. A completely scaled chest separates lugubris from hippos. 



> \ partial separation of latus and hippos may be effected by mean number of scutes (fig. 13) and mean lateral-line ratio (fig. 14) on specimens larger than 

 lfi mm. and by body depth at pelvic (fig. 8) for specimens smaller than 17 mm. It is suggested that coordinate points of a questionable specimen be plotted on 



 figures— a value that does not fall within the overlapping range of the estimated perimeters will indicate a specific identity. 



