Watson: Early life history stages of Cheilopogon xenopterus 



1033 



(1: 6.3 mm), Manta 11 (2: 4.7, 5.3 mm), Manta 19(?) 

 (1: 8.1 mm), Manta 34 (2: 5.3, 5.6 mm), Manta 37 ( 1: 

 16.5 mm), Manta 47 (1: 6.5 mm), Manta 51 ( 1: 6.8 mm); 

 SIO 63-54(1: 18 mm). 



Juveniles: 8710JD: 1-006 (1: 25.9 mm); 8810JD: 3- 

 108 (1: 44.8 mm); 8910JD: 1-039 (1: 36.4 mm); SIO 

 63-31 (1: 116 mm); SIO 63-96 (1: 38.5 mm); SIO 63- 

 105 (7: 34.5-57.0 mm); SIO 63-608 (3: 64-92 mm); 

 SIO 64-539 (1: 62 mm); SIO 72-121 (2: 42, 45 mm); 

 SIO 73-400 (3: 63-76 mm). 



Cheilopogon atrisignis (Jenkins, 1903). SIO 79-29 

 (1: 52 mm). 



Cheilopogon dorsomaculata (Fowler, 1944). SIO 52- 

 399 (1: 46 mm); SIO 52-416 (6: 147-214 mm); SIO 

 58-318 (1: 179 mm); SIO 78-214 (1: 36.5 mm). 



Cheilopogon furcatus (Mitchill, 1815). SIO 76-246 

 (1: 52 mm); SIO 93-89 (1: 183.5 mm FL). 



Cheilopogon papilio (Clarke, 1936). SIO 58-395 (2: 

 65-75 mm); SIO 69-387 (2: 20, 21 mm); SIO 93-95 

 (2: 109, 115.5 mm). 



Cheilopogon spilonotopterus (Bleeker, 1866). SIO 

 60-265 (1: 103 mm); SIO 69-405 (1; 39 mm). 



Description of eggs 



Morphology 



Eggs spherical, average 1.8 mm in diameter (range 

 1.7-1.9 mm), have narrow perivitelline space (mean 

 yolk diameter 1.7 mm, range 1.5-1.8 mm), homoge- 

 ^neous yolk, and lack oil globules (Fig. 1). Between 

 about 42 and 64 slender filaments (mean 53) evenly 

 distributed over smooth, transparent chorion; each 



attached to chorion at one end and all of similar 

 length (mean 1.2 mm, range 0.7-1.4 mm). 



Pigmentation 



Chorion unpigmented, yolk colorless to pale yellow. 

 Embryonic pigmentation first appears about midway 

 through development (stage VIII; embryonic tail 

 length increases fi-om 507? to 100'^ HL during this 

 stage; e.g. Moser and Ahlstrom, 1985) as one to few 

 small melanophores dorsolaterally on midbrain area 

 and small cluster just anterior to each pectoral-fin 

 bud (Fig. IB). Pigmentation increases dorsolaterally 

 on head, forms around margins of eyes and ventrally 

 on head in stage IX (tail > HL but < 507c yolksac 

 length). During this stage melanophores spread pos- 

 teriorly and dorsally from prepectoral clusters, form- 

 ing two rows on dorsum to midway along embryonic 

 axis, and melanophores form dorsally on developing 

 gut, beginning posteriorly early in stage. By stage X 

 (tail extends 50-75^^ of yolksac length) characteris- 

 tic larval pigment pattern clearly visible, with dor- 

 sal rows extending to near end of tail, a few melano- 

 phores around margin of caudal peduncle, and two 

 rows along base of anal fin (Fig. IC). Near end of 

 embryonic development (stage XI: tail extends >75% 

 of yolksac length) melanophores fill in over central 

 axis of head, form near distal margins of pectoral 

 fins and proximally on caudal fin, may form near 

 distal margins of pelvic fins (present in one of three 

 stage-XI specimens examined), form in internal se- 

 ries over notochord and posteriorly under notochord, 

 and become increasingly dense on dorsal and ven- 

 tral margins near midtail. Eyes become fully pig- 

 mented during stage XI. 



