Drass et al : Larval development of Lut/anus campechanus 



515 





Figure 5 



Postflexion reared Lutjanus campechanus larvae: (A) 12.2 mm, 26 DAH, from AL; (Bl 26.3 mm, 34 DAH, from AL. 

 Scales omitted from illustration. 



3.4 mm (preflexion) and was found in all specimens >3.6 

 mm. When present, this spot lies above the internal mela- 

 nophore that is located anterodorsal to the insertion of the 

 developing pelvic fin. 



Melanophores that form a postanal ventral (pav) series 

 on the tail were most numerous (18-20) in the smallest 

 larvae and decreased in number with development. The 

 pav series is further characterized by the presence of a 

 gap posteriorly and by the presence of one to four mela- 

 nophores (typically three) located after the gap in the 

 hypural area. As flexion began (3.8 mm), three melano- 

 phores were present on the caudal peduncle, but these 

 melanophores coalesced to form a single ventral spot on 



the caudal peduncle in postflexion larvae up to 9.6 mm. 

 In larger larvae, additional melanophores lined the entire 

 ventral edge of the caudal peduncle. At the beginning of 

 flexion, one to three melanophores were present over the 

 ventral edge of the hypural plate anlagen. As flexion pro- 

 gressed, this pigment bent up with the hypural elements 

 and came to lie at the base of the ventral caudal rays. A 

 melanophore at the flexure of the notochord on the caudal 

 peduncle first appeared in the 4.9-mm larva. It remained 

 prominent until extensive surface pigment on the body 

 obscured it in the largest specimen. Dorsal pigment on 

 the caudal peduncle appeared in the 3.8-mm early flexion 

 larva in the form of a single internal melanophore. This 



