LAROCHE and RICHARDSON; DEVELOPMENT OF LARVAE AND JUVENILES OF ROCKFISHES 



Table 5. — Meristics from larvae and juveniles of Sebastes zacentrus based on unstained specimens. Counts of left and right pelvic fin 

 rays (1,5; 1,5 1, superior and inferior principal caudal rays (8,7), and left and right branchiostegal rays (7,7) were constant throughout the 

 series. Specimens above dashed line are undergoing notochord flexion. 



III' ,7 

 III', 7 

 lll'.7 

 III' .7 

 III' ,7 

 IIP,7 

 III' .7 

 III' ,7 

 III' ,7 

 III' .7 

 III', 6 

 III' ,7 

 III' ,7 

 III' ,7 

 III' .7 

 IIP ,7 

 IIP,7 



iin,7 



lll',7 



III', 7 



III' ,7 



III' ,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



III.7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



111,7 



20+ 8=28 

 20+ 9=29 

 21+ 9=30 

 22+ 8=30 

 21+ 9 = 30 

 21+ 9 = 30 

 22+ 9 = 31 

 24+ 9=33 

 23+ 9=32 

 23+ 9 = 32 

 24+ 9=33 

 23+ 9=32 

 24+10=34 

 23+ 9=32 

 24+10=34 

 23+10=33 

 24+10=34 

 24+10=34 

 24 + 10 = 34 

 25+10=35 

 25+10=35 

 26+10=36 

 26+10=36 

 24 + 10 = 34 

 25+10=35 

 24+10=34 

 25+10=35 

 25+10=35 

 25+10=35 

 25+10=35 

 26+10=36 

 25+11=36 

 24 + 10=34 

 25+10=35 

 24+10=34 

 24+10=34 

 25+10=35 

 26+10=36 

 25+10=35 

 25+10=35 

 25+10=35 

 24 + 10 = 34 

 25+10=35 

 25+10=35 

 25+10=35 

 24+10=34 

 26+11=37 

 24+10=34 



19+ 8=28 

 21+ 9=30 

 21+ 8=29 

 21+ 9 = 30 

 21+ 9 = 30 

 23+ 9 = 32 

 22+10=32 

 23+ 9=32 

 22+ 9=31 

 24+ 9=33 

 24+ 9 = 33 

 23+10=33 

 24+10=34 

 23+ 9=32 

 23+10=33 

 23+10=33 

 24+10=34 

 24 + 10 = 34 

 24+10=34 

 24+10=34 

 24 + 10 = 34 

 25+10=35 

 25+10=35 

 25+10=35 

 25+10=35 

 24+10=34 

 24+11=35 

 25+10=35 

 25+10=35 

 25+11=36 

 25+10=35 

 25+10=35 

 25+10=35 

 26+10=36 

 25+10=35 

 25+10=35 

 24+10=34 

 26+10=36 

 25+10=35 

 25+10=35 

 24+10=34 

 25+10=35 

 25+10=35 

 26+10=36 

 26+10=36 

 26+10=36 

 25+11=36 

 24+10=34 



52 — 



48 50 



— 52 



' Posteriormost dorsal or anal spine appears as a soft ray 

 ^Transforming, 



3Pelagic juvenile. 

 "Benthic juvenile. 



number of characters for elimination of S. breuis- 

 pinis. Characters useful for separating S. brevis- 

 pinis from S. zacentrus are: weak or absent vs. 

 strong supraorbital spines; 58-70 vs. 43-54 

 diagonal scale rows below the lateral line; 44-53 

 vs. 38-48, usually 38-44, lateral line pores; 26 vs. 

 27 vertebrae and myomeres; second anal spine 

 about equal in strength and length to the third 

 anal spine vs. second anal spine stouter and longer 

 than the third anal spine. Larvae and small 

 juveniles of 16 specimens, 14.9-28.1 mm, identified 

 as S. brevispinis were found to have denser 



melanistic pigment over the head and body than S. 

 zacentrus of similar length and more slender 

 bodies at the pectoral fin base, averaging 26.1, 

 24.6, and 26.89^ SL for larvae, transforming lar- 

 vae, and pelagic juveniles vs. 35.2, 34.4, and 32.5% 

 SL for comparable stages of S. zacentrus. 



Distinguishing Features. — Characters useful to 

 distinguish the smallest identified S. zacentrus 

 larva, 7.4 mm, are fin counts; the moderately pig- 

 mented pectoral and pelvic fins; the general lack of 

 body pigment; melanophores inside the tip of the 



247 



