186 



Fishery Bulletin 103(1) 



A 4.8 mm 



B 7.1 mm 



C 10.3 



D 



12.5 mm 



Figure 1 



Larvae of Macquaria colonorum. (A and B) postflexion larvae from Swansea Chan- 

 nel, central New South Wales (NSW) (C and D) recently settled juveniles from the 

 Clyde River, southern NSW. 



supraocular and supracleithral ridge form by the time 

 notochord flexion is complete. A weak posttemporal 

 ridge is present from 7 mm, and a small spine develops 

 in transitional juveniles from 11.3 mm. A small spine 

 develops on the supracleithrum from 10.6 mm. An oper- 

 cular spine is present in transitional juveniles. 



Dorsal-fin soft rays are ossified by the completion of 

 notochord flexion, the posteriormost rays being the last 

 to ossify. The pterygiophores of the spinous rays of the 

 dorsal fin develop from posterior to anterior and begin 

 to form during notochord flexion. Spines begin to ossify 

 in postflexion larvae by 6.3 mm, and the full comple- 



ment of dorsal-fin elements is present by 7.1 mm. All 

 soft rays of the anal fin are ossified by the completion 

 of notochord flexion, by which time 1-2 pterygiophores 

 of the spinous rays are present. The first two anal-fin 

 spines are ossified by 6.6 mm. The last spinous soft ray 

 of the dorsal and the third spinous ray of the anal fin 

 transforms from a soft ray after settlement and they 

 are fully transformed by 11.3 mm. Incipient rays begin 

 to form in the pectoral fin during notochord flexion, 

 and the rays ossify from dorsal to ventral in postflex- 

 ion larvae. A few pectoral-fin rays remain unossified 

 at 7.1 mm and are fully ossified prior to settlement. 



