BRUCE: LARVAL DEVELOPMENT OF BLUE GRENADIER 





Figure 2. — Variability of ventral pigment on the tail in 4.9 mm larvae of Macruronus novaezelandiae. 



Ossification of branchiostegals begins in larvae 

 of 4.6 mm, with the full complement of 7 ossified 

 by 11.5 mm. Gill rakers are first discernible in 

 larvae of 9.4-9.9 mm with the full complement of 

 7 + 22-23 present by 28.9 mm. 



Ossification of neural and haemal spines gener- 

 ally precedes that of the vertebral centra. Ossifi- 

 cation of centra, neural spines, and haemal spines 

 occurs sequentially from anterior to posterior pro- 

 ceeding slowly in larvae less than 9.0 mm in 

 length and then more rapidly until the full com- 

 plement is ossified by 23.2 mm. Elements associ- 



ated with the caudal complex are the last to os- 

 sify. 



Fins 



Completion of fin development in M. novaeze- 

 landiae occurs in the sequence: first dorsal and 

 pelvic (almost simultaneously), anal, second dor- 

 sal, caudal, pectoral. 



Pelvic fins first appear in larvae of 5.7— 5.8 mm 

 as slight swellings either side of the gut. They do 

 not form distinct buds until 6.9 mm. Ossification 



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