Rocha-Olivares et al : Molecular identification of luvenile Sebastes 



355 



evidence of species identity. The others differed from 

 reference data by 1 to 3 nucleotides (Fig. 1). 



Cluster analyses (unweighted pair-group method 

 using averages [UPGMA]) performed on the pair- 

 wise distance matrices generated from the molec- 

 ular data clustered CAl with S. constellatus and 

 CA2-CA5 with S. ensifer (not shown). 



Description of specimens 



Sebastes constellatus (Jordan and Gilbert 1880) 

 Transforming larva: CAl (15.0 mm SL), Figure 2A 



Literature Transforming larvae and pelagic juve- 

 niles of S. constellatus have not been described in the 

 published literature.'^ Larval stages up to notochord 

 flexion (-7.1 mm) show features typical of preflexion 

 larvae of other Sebastomus species: robust head and 

 body with strong serrated parietal ridges and spines; 

 strong postocular ridge and spine; heavy pigment on 

 top of head, on jaws, and on paired fins, with heavi- 

 est pigment on distal edge of pectoral fin; postanal 



^ A fully pigmented "pelagic juvenile" ( length not given ) ascribed to 

 S. constellatus is illustrated and briefly described in Laroche, W. 

 A. 1987. Guide to the larval and juvenile rockfishes(Se6as/e.s-) 

 of North America. Unpublished manuscript. Stonefish Envi- 

 ronm. & Taxon. Serv., Enosburg Falls, VT 05450. 



ventral midline series of 11-17 melanophores(Moser 

 etal., 1977;Moser, 1996). 



General morphology Body moderately deep and 

 compressed; head, jaws, and eyes large (Table 1). 



Fins and other meristic features Full complements 

 of spinous and soft rays present; dorsal- and anal- 

 fin rays moderate in length; anteriormost 5 scales of 

 lateral line just beginning to form but visible only 

 after staining with alizarin red-S (Table 2). 



Spination Supraocular crest and associated spines 

 (preocular, supraocular, postocular) prominent; pari- 

 etal crests well developed, weakly serrate parietal 

 spine slightly longer than nuchal spine; tympanic 

 spine not yet formed on the upper margin of sensory 

 canal pore but a slight prominence, indicating ini- 

 tial spine development, is noticeable; posterior pre- 

 opercular series well developed with spine at angle 

 longer than others and finely serrated along the lon- 

 gitudinal flange (dorsal and ventral margins of spine 

 smooth); first and third spines weakly developed in 

 anterior preopercular series; first and second lower 

 infraorbitals present; first and fourth spines in upper 

 series visible only after staining; presence of other 

 spines as listed in Table 3. 



