FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 78, NO. 3 



to that of Atlantic mackerel, Scomber scombrus 

 (Berrien 1975). Melanophores on late stage eggs 

 were relatively more dendritic than on earlier 

 stage eggs. A row of dorsolateral melanophores on 

 each side of the body extended from the posterior 

 edge of the eyes posteriad. At about midbody, 

 melanophores scattered over the dorsal surface 

 disrupted this row of dorsolateral melanophores. 

 Additional melanophores, which formed a trans- 

 verse row across the head just posterior to the eyes 

 were commonly observed. In the head region, an- 

 terior to the eyes and on the posterior portion of 

 the body, melanophores were sparse. They were 

 never observed on the posterior portion of the body 

 near the notochord tip. Melanophores on the sur- 

 face of the oil globule were located anteriorly. 



Larval Development 

 Body Proportions 



Newly hatched larvae measured 1.6-1.7 mm SL. 

 A single oil globule was situated near the posterior 

 margin of the yolk sac. The anterior portion of the 

 body was arched over the yolk sac, but 

 straightened out at ca. 2.0 mm SL (Figure 2). The 

 yolk sac and oil globule were absorbed within 5 d 

 at 20° C. 



Most body proportions changed gradually dur- 

 ing ontogeny except during very early develop- 

 ment, when abrupt changes were observed. At this 

 time, the head length, preanus length, body depth, 

 and snout length became proportionately greater 

 (Figures 3-5). On the other hand, the eye diameter, 

 relative to the head length, became propor- 

 tionately smaller with increasing body length 

 (Figure 5A). 



The most striking change in body shape was the 

 development of the robust head which charac- 

 terizes sciaenid larvae (Lippson and Moran 1974). 

 This change, as revealed by an increase in the 

 head length to body length ratio, occurred during 

 the transition from the yolk sac to the preflexion 

 stage, a time when little increase in body length 

 occurred (Figure 3B). 



Body proportions of larvae collected from the 

 South Atlantic Bight (Powles and Stender 1978) 

 and our laboratory-reared larvae are in good 

 agreement, except that laboratory-reared larvae 

 may be slightly more robust, especially those >7.0 

 mm SL. Fourteen percent of our laboratory-reared 

 larvae (>7.0 mm SL) and 60% of our laboratory- 

 reared juveniles ( >14.4 mm SL) had body depths 

 greater than the maximum (29.3%) reported by 

 Powles and Stender (1978). 



B 



Figure 2. — Newly hatched Leiostomus xanthurus: A, dorsal view; B, lateral view. 



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