FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 80, NO. 1 



Table 8.— Measurements (mm) of larvae and a juvenile of Etropuscrossotus. Pref = preflexion, 

 ECF = early caudal formation, Early = early flexion, Mid = midflexion, Late = late flexion, Post 

 = postflexion. S= symmetrical, 1 =0 to one-third of the way to the dorsal ridge, 2 = one-third to 

 two-thirds of the way to the dorsal ridge, 3 = two-thirds to all the way to the dorsal ridge, T = 

 nearly transformed. 



jaw length/HL decreases greatly from 41%to 36- 

 37%. 



The larval snout is moderate but exhibits a 

 relatively fast growth rate. Snout length/BL in- 

 creases from 5.2% to 6.8%. Snout length/HL 

 increases from 22% to 26%. 



The eye is relatively small in larvae and mod- 

 erate in adults. Larval eye diameter/BL de- 

 creases from 7.4% to 6.3%. Larval eye diameter/ 

 HL decreases greatly from 32% to 24%. Adult eye 

 diameter/HL is about 22-28%. 



The larval head is of moderate length but rela- 

 tively shallow depth. In adults, the head is the 

 shortest of known western North Atlantic Etro- 

 pus and Citharichthys species. Larval head 

 length/BL increases from 23% to 26%. Adult 

 head length/BL is 20-25%. Larval head depth/BL 

 increases from 29% to 33-34% and is similar to 

 that of C. gymnorhinns. 



Larval snout to anus length is moderate. Snout 



66 



to anus length/BL increases from 39% (pref lex- 

 ion) to 44% (flexion) and then decreases to 39% 

 (postflexion). This length is similar to that of C. 

 gymnorhinus during flexion and postflexion. 



Early larvae are relatively shallow, but ab- 

 dominal and tail depths increase quickly, and as 

 adults, this species and E. rimosus are the deep- 

 est bodied of known western North Atlantic 

 Etropus and Citharichthys species. During post- 

 flexion, the dorsal and ventral profiles of E. cros- 

 sotus are relatively convex. Larval body depth at 

 pelvic fin/BL increases greatly from 26% to 40%. 

 Larval body depth at anus/BL increases greatly 

 from 21% to 43% and is similar to that of C. gym- 

 norhinus during flexion and postflexion. Larval 

 body depth at third hemal spine/BL increases 

 greatly from 12% to 38%. Adult body depth/BL is 

 50-58%. Larval caudal peduncle depth/BL in- 

 creases from 9.6% (flexion) to 12.6% postflex- 

 ion). 



