Venerus et a\ .: Early life history of Pseudopercis semifasciata 



199 



Figure 3 



Larvae and posttransition juvenile of Pseudopercis semifasciata. (A) Preflexion 

 (4.3 mm BL). (B) Flexion (8.7 mm BL). (C) Postflexion (10.7 mm BL). (Dl transi- 

 tion juvenile (22 mm BL). 



(9-10 mm BL), anal (9-10 mm BL), dorsal (9-10 mm 

 BL), and pelvic (10-11 mm BL). Elements of the cau- 

 dal fin began forming at flexion stage, and remaining 

 fins at the postflexion stage. By 9-10 mm BL, dorsal 

 (V+26-27) and anal (11+20-22) fin elements reached 

 their full complement. 



Description of posttransition juveniles 



The posttransition juvenile stage was characterized 

 by the acquisition of complete fin-ray complements and 

 by morphological similarities with the adults (Table 3, 

 Fig. 4). The transition from pelagic to benthic habitat in 

 this species, i.e. settlement, probably occurred at about 

 20 mm BL because the smallest benthic juvenile of Pseu- 

 dopercis semifasciata reported was 22 mm BL. 



Table 3 



Body proportions (mean [±SE| and range) of Pseudoper- 

 cis semifasciata posttransition juveniles. BD=body depth; 

 BL=body length; ED = eye diameter; HD=head depth; 

 HL=head length; PAL = preanal length; PDL=predorsal 

 length. 



BD/BLxlOO 

 15.1 ±1.4(12.7-19.3) 



PAL/BLxlOO 

 41.7 ±2.2 (37.7 -48.0) 



HL/BLxlOO 

 23.0 ±2.4 (17.6-31.6) 



HD/BLxlOO 

 13.8 ±1.5 (11. 9-19.31 



ED/BLxlOO 

 8.4 ±1.1 (6.4-11.9) 



PDL/BLxlOO 

 27.8 ±1.3 (25.7-30.2) 



