FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 78, NO, 2 



1mm 



A 



I , _ 



Figure 29. — Lateral external view of left side of pectoral girdle from a 12.3 mm SL Coryphaena hippurus (left) and a 10.3 mm SL 

 C. equiselis (right). Symbols: CI, cleithrum; Cor, coracoid; P, posterior process of the coraco-scapular cartilage; PCI, posterior process 

 of the cleithrum; R, radial; Sc, scapula. Stippled, cartilage; darkened, bone. 



of a Y-shaped cartilaginous coracoid (probably 

 coraco-scapular cartilage) in Haemulon plumieri 

 larvae. In the Blenniidae, Characidae, and Pho- 

 lidichthyidae, a small posterior process of the 

 coracoid was observed in adults (Weitzman 1962; 

 Springer 1968; Springer and Freihofer 1976). For 

 the family Gobiesocidae, however, Springer and 

 Fraser (1976) reported large posterior processes of 

 the coracoid. Thus, it seems that the posterior 

 process of the coracoid is present in most fishes, 

 but that it disappears during development in more 

 advanced forms. It also appears that this process 

 remains as a neotenic structure in small fishes. 



In more primitive fishes such as the Osteoglos- 

 sidae (Greenwood and Thomson 1960), Charac- 

 idae (Weitzman 1962), most stomiatoid families 

 (Weitzman 1974), and Lile piquitinga (Clupeidae) 

 (Gomez Gaspar 1976) a mesocoracoid was present. 

 This bone is absent in the Coryphaenidae. 



The presence of intertemporals is considered 

 primitive because these bones are absent in more 

 advanced groups, such as scombrids (Collette and 

 Chao 1975). 



Pelvic Fin and Fin Supports 



Description is based on large juveniles of both 

 species > 90 mm SL, two adults of C. equiselis and 

 two adults of C. hippurus. There were 1,5 rays in 

 each of the pelvic fins which were located on the 

 underside of the body below the pectoral fin. All 

 C hippurus >10.7 mm SL and all C. equiselis 

 >8.6 mm SL had the full count. Each side of the 

 pelvic fin was supported by a basipterygium; no 

 radials were present. The two basipterygia were 

 closely approximated medially, but not fused (Fig- 

 ure 31). They were located in the abdominal body 

 wall and were lying between the ventral portions 



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