428 



20 



15 



>- 

 < 

 rr 



o 



CO 



< 10 

 co 

 <r 

 o 



Q 



i- 

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FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



— i — i — i — i — r 



-i 1 r 



-i 1 1 r 



~i i i r 



■cry sos 



- ruber 



- bartholomoei 



- lotus 

 -hippos 



5 — 



_1 I 1 L- 



_1 I 1 1- 



_] I 1_ 



25 



50 75 



STANDARD LENGTH IN MM 



100 



125 



Figure 5. — Comparison of the regression lines for the relation of length of the first dorsal soft-ray to standard length 



for five species of Caranx. 



relationships of the first soft-ray (fin lobe) lengths 

 that apply to the dorsal soft-rays also apply to 

 the anal soft-rays. 



Distortion , loss, or absence of dorsal and anal 

 soft-rays. — Distortion or ahscnee of one or more 

 soft-rays of the dorsal or anal fins were observed 

 in all five of the common species. Some of the 

 rays were of similar length to other rays in the fin, 

 but were bent or thickened; others were rudi- 

 mentary, their distal ends tapering to a point and 

 of much shorter length than the normal rays. The 

 dorsal and anal fins of fish possessing rudimentary 



or missing rays usually had distorted rays. Judg- 

 ing from the extent of distortion of these abnormal 

 rays, they could not. have regenerated to a normal 

 size and structure. If these abnormal specimens 

 had attained maturity, their soft-ray counts 

 would have been confusing, because the over- 

 growth of the scaly sheath at the fin bases and the 

 enlargement and near-coalescing of the rays would 

 tend to obliterate evidence of the missing or 

 rudimentary rays. 



This abnormality was observed to the greatest 

 degree in specimens of ruber from the Gill dip-net 



