ATLANTIC SAILFISH 



159 



men size of iippi'oximately 6.5 mm. Ri)ecimeMs 

 exceeding 10 mm. have considerable variation, 

 and on specimens exceeding 40 mm. the spines are 

 difficult to discern. 



Until such time as identilication of specimens 

 less than 10 mm. to species is accomplished, the 

 pattern must be presented as representing one 

 group. 



Table 7. — Distribution of specimens by length and by ratios 

 of secondary preopercular spines 



PTEROTIC SPINE SERRATIONS 



The number of serrations on the dorsomedial 

 and ventral keels of the pterotic spine ranges from 

 10 to 20, with but few exceptions, throughout 

 the size range of specimens examined. The 

 number of serrations on the dorsolateral keel in- 

 creases from a range of 18-25 on 4-mm. specimens, 

 to 24-42 on 10-mm. specimens, to 28-44 on 25-mm, 

 specimens, and holds relatively stable between 44 

 and 49 on larger specimens.' 



We should expect less variation in number of 

 serrations on keels of specimens exceeding 10 mm. 

 in length, since growth of pterotic spines ceases 

 when specimens are approximately 7 mm. in 

 length (fig. 33). 



TEETH 



The number of teeth in relation to specimen size 

 is shown in figure 40. For the sizes shown, there 

 is an increase in number of teeth with an increase 

 in specimen size; and the range is narrower in the 

 sm.aller specimens than in the larger ones (many 

 teeth of all sizes in larger specimens, but only a 

 few well-developed ones in the smaller ones). 

 Teeth were present in all specimens examined, but 

 the 101-mm. specimen was badly damaged, and 

 an accurate count could not be made. The 

 remaining teeth of this specimen were not so 

 large, relatively, as those of smaller specimens. 

 Counts of 102 and 110 for one-half the upper jaw 

 of the 45.0-mm. specimens of the unidentified 

 species exceed those for Atlantic sailfish specimens 

 to 64 mm . 



DEVELOPMENT OF PIGMENTATION 



Observations on the development of pigment 

 include all specimens below 10 mm. in length, 

 and only the Atlantic sailfish specimens above 10 

 mm. Notes on variations from this pattern of 

 development in the luiidentified species follow 

 the observations on the Atlantic sailfish. 



There are a few large melanophores on the 

 dorsal surface of the brain case of the 3. 4-mm. 

 specimen. There is a gradual increase in the 

 pigmentation (consisting of small chromatophores) 

 extending to the dorsal surfaces of the snout and 

 the body on specimens approximately 4 mm. long, 

 down the sides of the head and body posteriorly 

 to the anus at approximately 5 mm., and to the 



' Specimens of unidcntiru'd specie.'' 45.0 mm. long had counts of 37 and 50. 

 otherwise, all counts for the species fell within those for Atlantic sailHsh. 



