Rocha Olivares et al.: Molecular identification of luvenile Sebastes 



357 



Pigmentation Solid sheath over gut; solid patch 

 over brain; shallow, internal, dorsal, and dorsolat- 

 eral melanophores on snout and some at tip of lower 

 jaw; large postorbital patch continues posteriad to 

 cover opercle; patch of melanophores continuous with 

 dorsal brain sheath, extending back on dorsum to 

 sixth dorsal-fin spine and ventrad to lateral line 

 region to form a saddle; separate patch below the 

 saddle forming at horizontal septum region; mela- 

 nophore on each side of dorsum at ninth dorsal-fin 

 spine; bar at caudal peduncle complete except at 

 ventral midline; melanistic pigment scattered over 

 pectoral and pelvic fins. 



Sebastes ensifer Chen 1971 



Transforming larva: CA2 (19.8 mm SL), Figure 2B 

 Pelagic juveniles CAS (27.3 mm). Figure 2C; CA3 

 (30.4 mm SL) and CA4 (30.1 mm SL) not illustrated 



Literature Transforming larvae and pelagic juve- 

 niles of S. ensifer have not been described in the pub- 

 lished literature.^ A 4.2-mm first-feeding larva has 

 been illustrated (Moser et al., 1977; Moser, 1996), 

 showing features typical of first-feeding Sebastonius 

 larvae as summarized above for S. constellatus. 



General morphology Body moderately deep and 

 compressed; head, jaws, and eyes large; relative head 



* A35.5-mm pelagic juvenile ascribed to Sebastes ensifer is illus- 

 trated and briefly described (/! Laroche, W. A. 1987. Guide 

 to larval and juvenile rockfishes iSebastes) of North America. 

 Unpublished manuscript. Stonefish Environm. & Taxon. Serv., 

 Enosburg Falls, VT 05450. 



length, and eye diameter decrease after transforma- 

 tion to pelagic juveniles; relative interorbital dis- 

 tance dorsal spine and ray length, and anal spine 

 length increase after transformation (Table 1). 



Fins and other meristic features Full complements 

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

 rays moderate in length; anterior scales in lateral line 

 series forming, -10 visible after staining in trans- 

 forming specimen, full complements of lateral line 

 scales forming in pelagic juveniles (Table 2). 



Spination Supraocular crest and associated spines 

 well developed; parietal crests well developed, weakly 

 serrate, and parietal and nuchal spines subequal 

 in transforming specimen; in pelagic juveniles the 

 nuchal spine forms the terminus of the parietal ridge 

 and only a remnant of the parietal spine can be 

 seen; tympanic spine present; posterior preopercular 

 series well developed with spine at angle longer than 

 others but not serrated; anterior preopercular spines 

 absent; first and second lower infraorbitals present; 

 upper infraorbitals faintly visible after staining in 

 transforming specimen but not in pelagic juveniles; 

 cleithral spine present in pelagic juveniles but not in 

 transforming specimen; presence of other spines as 

 listed in Table 3. 



Pigmentation Transforming specitnen: solid sheath 

 over gut; solid covering over brain; scattered mela- 

 nophores on snout and some at tip of lower jaw; 

 large postorbital and opercular patches; patch of 

 melanophores continuous with dorsal brain sheath 

 extending back on dorsum to 11th dorsal-fin spine 



