FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 79, NO. 1 



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FIGURE 9.— Larvae of A) Radulinus asprellus (10.9 mm NL), B) Rhamphocottus richardsoni (8.4 mm NL), C) Hemitripterus 

 villosus (17.4 mm SL) (A, B, Richardson and Washington 1980; C, Okiyama and Sando 1976). 



unpigmented area on the body above the abdom- 

 inal cavity. Small larvae also resemble Scor- 

 paenichthys except that they have a distinct 

 lateral midline series of melanophores and soon 

 develop a pointed snout and more slender body. 



Rhamphocottus (Figure 9) is one of the most 

 aberrant cottid forms. It develops only one pre- 

 opercular spine, an unusual snout, a deep body, 

 heavy pigmentation, and a preanal fin fold. At 

 small sizes, ca. 6-7 mm NL, it bears some resem- 

 blance to Scorpaenichthys in pigmentation and 



shape, but it has a longer gut, more pigment 

 ventrally along the head and gut, and a pigmented 

 preanal fin fold. By 8-9 mm SL, the distinct shape 

 of Rhamphocottus is obvious and spinelike 

 prickles develop over the body. The single species 

 has been considered to represent a separate fam- 

 ily (Jordan and Evermann 1898; Jordan 1923; 

 Taranets 1941). 



Hemitripterus (Figure 9) is also a heavily pig- 

 mented and distinct form. Based on the literature 

 (Table 1), it has four preopercular spines, a moder- 



116 



