600 - 

 400 



200 



20 



>- 

 < 



tn 



UJ 



O 2 



o 



-l — I — I I I I 1 1 



ATLANTIC SAILFISH 



1 1 — I I I I I I 



163 



"T 



"T 1 — TTT 



/ 



/ 



I 



:a 



/ 



J 1 1 1 1 1 1 







1 1 1 1 



10 20 40 60 100 



STANDARD LENGTH IN MM. 



Figure 35. — Relation of length of longest dorsal fin-ray to standard length. Dots represent study specimens; x's, 



Beebe's specimens; and large black dots, the unidentified species. 



Tlie size range between 20 and 100 mm. has 

 been designated "late larval," that period din-ing 

 which head spines begin to disappear (although 

 pterotic and main preopercular spines persist at 

 101 mm.), fins undergo other changes in size and 

 shape (toward eventual division in dorsal and 

 anal fins), dermal spines develop, and jaw teeth 

 begin to disappear. While juvenile characters 

 are developing within this range, it is my opinion 



that the important larval characters which per- 

 sist preclude the use of the term "juvenile" for 

 specimens below 100 mm. 



SUMMARY COMPARISON OF ATLANTIC SAILFISH 

 WITH UNIDENTIFIED SPECIES 



A summary of the ])rincipal differences between 

 specimens of the Atlantic sailfish and the imiden- 

 tified species at comparalile sizes is outlined in 

 table 8. 



