Table l . — Meristics from larvae and juveniles ofSebastes flavidus off Oregon, based on unstained specimens. Counts of left and right 

 pelvic fin rays (I,5;I,5), superior and inferior principal caudal rays (8,7), and left and right branchiostegal rays (7;7) were constant 

 from the smallest to largest specimen listed. 



'Forming. 



^Posteriormost dorsal and anal spine appears as a soft ray. 



=Transforming 



"Pelagic juvenile. 



^Benthic juvenile. 



flavidus (49, 50, and 52 mm long) were 12/13, 

 12/13, and 12/12, respectively. Counts on four 

 stained juvenile S. melanops (42, 43, 47, and 48 

 mm long) were 12/13, 12/12, 12/12, and 12/13, re- 

 spectively. Adult complements of the dorsal and 

 anal fin spines and rays can be counted by =11 or 

 12 mm. The transition of the 13th dorsal and 3d 

 anal fin "prespines" to spines is complete by =27 

 mm in S. flavidus and =33 mm in S. melanops. 



Spination (Tables 2, 4-7). — Spines present on the 

 left side of the head of the smallest (10.1 mm) 

 larval S. flavidus include the parietal; first, sec- 

 ond, third, and fourth posterior preopercular; first 

 and third anterior preopercular; postocular; 

 pterotic; superior opercular; first inferior infraor- 

 bital; first superior infraorbital; inferior posttem- 

 poral; and the developing interopercular (indi- 

 cated by a small blunt projection). The smallest 



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