536 



Fishery Bulletin 89(3). 1991 



Figure 1 



Larva of Jeboehlkia gladifer, MCZ 

 81740, 10.2mm SL, collected in 

 the western North Atlantic Ocean 

 (40°42.0'N, 65°00.3'W). 



The longest ray of the pectoral fin measures 15.1% 

 SL, but all rays appear broken, and the original length 

 of the fin is unknown. Pelvic fin rays also appear 

 broken, but the first soft ray on the right side and 

 second on the left side are clearly produced. Robins 

 (1967) noted that the first two pelvic rays are very 

 elongate in the holotype, and both are probably 

 elongate in intact larvae. 



The elongate second dorsal-fin spine is thin, flexible, 

 and covered with a sheath of tissue that is torn distally. 

 It measures 105% SL but is broken, and we are unable 

 to determine its original length. 



There is a full complement of soft dorsal (9), anal 

 (111,7), pectoral (15), and principal caudal fin rays (9 + 8). 

 Only the first two dorsal fin spines are visible exter- 

 nally, but four additional tiny spines that have not yet 

 emerged through the skin are apparent in a radiograph 

 of the larva. The procurrent caudal fin rays are difficult 

 to see, but the specimen appears to have three in both 

 the dorsal and ventral caudal lobes, two fewer than the 



adult complement of 4 + 4, as determined from a 

 radiograph of the holotype. The pelvic fin bears one 

 spine and five soft rays, the medialmost two of which 

 are closely approximated. All fin spines are smooth. 

 There are six prominent smooth preopercular spines, 

 the four on the lower limb becoming increasingly 

 antrorse anteriorly. Robins (1967) noted the presence 

 of three strong antrorse spines on the lower limb of 

 the preopercle in the holotype. Our examinations in- 

 dicate that the three anteriormost antrorse spines in 

 the larval specimen are very similar in morphology and 

 position to those of the holotype and thus provide 

 additional corroborative evidence for the identification 

 of the larval specimen as J. gladifer. Antrorse pre- 

 opercular spines are rare among larval epinephelines 

 (present in some larvae of the epinepheline tribe 

 Epinephelini, Leis 1986), and their presence in larval 

 J. gladifer, in combination with other characters, ap- 

 pears diagnostic. The interopercle and supracleithrum 

 each bear one well-developed smooth spine, and a 



