NOTE De Forest and Busby: Development of larval and early luvenile Apodichthys flavidas 



481 



to A. flavichis; however, we recommend a more detailed 

 study of larval U. sanctaerosae and X. fucoruiu, includ- 

 ing a description of caudal skeleton development, before 

 concluding that larval characters do, or do not, support 

 Yatsu's (1985) classification. In particular, it would be 

 interesting to investigate whether either species devel- 

 ops a fourth epural that fuses with the third, or a first 

 epural that fuses with the neural spine of the second 

 preural centrum during flexion. In another cleared and 

 stained individual we observed fusion of the neural 

 spines on the third and fourth preural centra {NPU4 

 and NPU3, Fig. 3D). However, only one specimen of 

 A. flavidus was examined at each of these fusions and 

 more specimens, when available, should be cleared and 

 stained to determine if these fusions occur in all larval 

 A. flavidus. Presence or absence of a ventral caudal 

 radial may also be of interest. Although it is unclear 

 what becomes of the ventral caudal radial between 

 postflexion and juvenile stages from our study of A. 

 flavidus, we hypothesize that it fuses with the tip of 

 the haemal spine of the second preural centrum. Tak- 

 ing all of these unusual aspects of A. flavidus larval 

 development into account, we suggest that development 

 of U. sanctaerosae and X. fucorum should be further 

 investigated to clarify the systematic relationships 

 among the genera. 



Acknowledgments 



The authors thank Theodore Pietsch (University of 

 Washington [UW]) for his help, support, and encour- 

 agement with this project. Beverly Vinter illustrated the 

 specimens in the developmental series. We also thank 

 the Ichthyoplankton Laboratory of the Alaska Fishery 

 Science Center (AFSC) and the UW Fish Collection for 

 use of their facilities and specimens. Ann Matarese 

 (AFSC) and William Watson (NOA A- Southwest Fish- 

 eries Science Center) reviewed an earlier draft of the 

 manuscript. 



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