RICHARDSON and LAROCHE: DEVELOPMENT AND OCCURRENCE OF ROCKFISHES 



Table 9.— Continued. 



7 



{') 





+ + 



+ + 



+ + 



+ + 



+ + 



+ -I- 



(^1 



first as a bump in larvae >9 mm and is present in 

 juveniles. 



The tympanic spine appears on specimens >35 

 mm SL. This spine forms at the anterior edge of a 

 foramen of the cephalic lateral line system. The 

 pterotic spine, present in the smallest larvae, dis- 

 appears in benthic juveniles. The supracleithral 

 spine develops posterior to the inferior post- 

 temporal on larvae >9.5 mm and the superior 

 posttemporal spine is present dorsal to these in 

 specimens >14 or 15 mm. This latter spine is occa- 

 sionally bifid. The inferior posttemporal disap- 

 pears in benthic juveniles. Posterior to the opercle 

 the cleithral spine is visible in pelagic juveniles of 

 19.5 mm and persists in benthic juveniles. 



Scale Formation . — Lateral line pores are visible 

 on specimens >17 mm. Scale formation has begun 

 on juveniles >23 mm. 



Pigmentation . — The smallest larvae of S. pinniger 

 examined, 7.8 mm (similar to the 8.9 mm speci- 

 men illustrated), have pigment on the head over 

 the brain. Melanophores line the inner tip of the 

 lower jaw and a few are present along the antero- 

 ventral margin of the maxillary. In the abdominal 

 region, an internal melanistic shield covers the 

 dorsal half of the gut, appearing darkest on the 

 dorsal surface. A few additional melanophores are 

 present along the ventral midline of the gut cav- 

 ity. Two or three lai-ge stellate melanophores are 



27 



