400 



Fishery Bulletin 89(3). 1991 



finfold pigmentation will distinguish yolksac larvae. 

 The more compressed shape of P. califomicus and the 

 robust, heavily pigmented body of X. liolepis are im- 

 portant characters for preflexion through postflexion 

 stages. Material is lacking in the LACM collections to 

 evaluate metamorphosed individuals, but meristic 

 counts (i.e., gill rakers, dorsal fin rays, and ventral fin 

 rays) will serve to separate juveniles. 



Descriptions of the two species are based on field- 

 collected material, but reared material was also ex- 

 amined. Pigmentation patterns of yolksac larvae were 

 similar in reared and field material for both taxa. 

 Pigmentation of reared larvae was heavier than that 

 of field material in post-yolksac larval stages. Dif- 

 ferences between reared and field-collected larvae of 

 Paralichthys califomicus increased as development 



