FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 75, NO. 1 



TABLE 3. — The number and lengths of Microstomas pacificus, Glyptocephalus zachirus, and Eop- 

 setta jordani larvae in assigned developmental stages, I to IV. Numbers in parentheses denote 

 catches in bongo nets, excluding grid tows; numbers without parentheses are mid-water trawl 

 catches. 



Standard 

 length 



(mm) 



M. paci ficus 



G zachirus 



E. jordani 



Ilia 



1Mb 



IV 



IV 



IV 



4-5 

 6-7 

 8-9 

 10-11 

 12-13 

 14-15 

 16-17 

 18-19 

 20-21 

 22-23 

 24-25 

 26-27 

 28-29 

 30-31 

 32-33 

 34-35 

 36-37 

 38-39 

 40-41 

 42-43 

 44-45 

 46-47 

 48-49 

 50-51 

 52-53 

 54-55 

 56-57 

 58-59 

 60-61 

 62-63 

 64-65 

 66-67 

 68-69 

 70-71 

 72-73 

 74-75 

 89 



Totals 



(7) 

 (38) 



(10) 2 



(4) 13(2) 



10(6) 



8(4) 



2(1) 



1 



6 

 20 



55(1) 

 90 

 72 



79(1) 

 45 

 25 



16(1) 

 11 



7 



1 



3 



1 



4 

 6 

 11 

 12 

 5 

 5 

 3 

 4 



(5) 



(28) 

 (41) 

 (5) 

 (2) 

 (2) 

 (4) 

 (1) 

 (1) 



(2) 

 (2) 



(2) 



(3) 



8 (1) 



7 (1) 

 9 



13 (1) 



14 (1) 



8 (1) 

 7 

 6 

 4 

 6 

 7 

 3 

 1 

 3 

 2 



1) 



(59) 36(13)431(13) 48 



53 



4 

 6 



3 



4 



5 1 1 



10 3 



9 5 



3(1) 2 5 



5 1 3 



10 1 3 



7 2 



8 



9 



1 (1 

 2 1 



4 

 2 



1 

 131(104)93(3) 12 20 



34(1) 1 



progression of increasing size with later de- 

 velopmental stages is apparent from stages I 

 through Ilia, but little growth in length is evident 

 between stage Hlb and IV. Larvae over 40-50 mm 

 SL included both partially metamorphosed indi- 

 viduals with the left eye on the dorsal ridge 

 and little pigmentation on the right side, and fully 

 transformed individuals with heavy pigmenta- 

 tion on the eyed side. The largest larva was a 

 partially metamorphosed individual of 65 mm. 



Most rex sole larvae were classified as pre- 

 metamorphosed stage I. This stage included a 

 surprising length range, from 4 to 69 mm. Most of 

 the growth in length apparently occurs during 

 stage I before the left eye begins to migrate. The 

 median length of stage IV larvae was actually 

 shorter than that of stage II or III, suggesting 

 reduction in length during metamorphosis. The 

 largest larva was 89 mm (see Richardson 1973), 

 apparently a record for any species of Glyp- 

 tocephalus. 



Petrale larvae occupied a small length range 

 compared with Dover and rex sole larvae. Most of 

 the larvae were stage III. Larvae smaller than 10 

 mm were never taken. 



SEASONALITY, GROWTH, AND 

 LENGTH OF LARVAL LIFE 



The relative abundance of the stages of Dover 

 sole larvae collected during different months in 

 bongo nets and mid-water trawls is illustrated in 

 Figure 2. Stage I larvae were the predominant 

 stage in the bongo net catches from March to July; 

 stage II larvae were most common during the 

 summer (bongos) and fall (mid-water trawls), 

 suggesting a progression of larval stages from 

 spring to fall. The continuation of this trend is not 

 apparent from the catches of stage Ilia larvae, the 

 most abundant developmental stage during all 

 months in mid-water trawl catches. Stage IV were 

 most common during fall and winter months. 



176 



