142 



FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



Table 2. — Selected measurements from 13 Florida specimens described by Voss (1963) 



(In millimeters] 



Table 3.- — Selected measurements from 2 specimens described 

 by Beebe (1941) and 3 mounted specimens described 

 by Baughman {1941a) 



[In millimeters] 



Item 



Standard length. - 



Head length 



Snout length. 



Eye diameter 



Pterotic spine length 



Main preopercular spine length. 



Lower jaw length 



Snout extension 



Pelvic fin length 



Dorsal fln height 



Number of dorsal rays 



Number of pectoral rays 



Measurements 

 from Beebe 



No. 1 No. 2 



437 



169 



140 



12 



130 



Measurements from 

 Baughman 



No. 1 No. 2 No. 



544 



233 



175 



16 



849.5 

 314 

 228.5 

 22 



116 

 '264" 



851 



324 



232 



23 



1 Measurements are conversions of Beebe's percent-of-standard-length 

 values. 



DESCRIPTION OF SPECIMENS 



The importance of line drawings, in a develop- 

 mental series of a fish, to portray metamorphic 

 changes is well understood ; therefore I have chosen 

 for illustration (to scale) only those sizes at which 

 important changes are apparent. A complete 

 description is given of the smallest specimen, and 

 for other specimens a brief summary of important 

 changes which have occurred from the preceding 

 size is presented. 



A series of specimens ranging in standard length 

 from 3.6 to 374 mm. is figured and discussed. 

 Those exceeding 10 mm. in standard length 

 separated into two readily distinguishable groups, 

 one tracing through development to the Atlantic 

 sailfish, Istiophorus americanus (Cuvier), and the 

 other remaining unidentified. Those below 10 

 mm. did not separate into two distinct groups; 

 hence they are treated as one. Drawings of three 

 specimens of the unidentified species are pre- 

 sented (figs. 23, 24, and 25), with discussion lim- 

 ited to variations from sailfish. 



Various authors, Gunther (1873-74), Lutken 

 (1880), Goode (1883), Beebe (1941), LaMonte 

 and Marcy (1941), and Voss (1953), have pub- 

 lished figures and descriptions of small sailfish 

 singly or in series. Those described by Voss 

 from waters off southern Florida constitute the 

 most complete series. I am unable to explain 

 the differences between my findings and those 

 of the authors cited. 



For comparison with the series of illustrations 

 of sailfish material studied, I include as figure 21 

 a photograph of a 437-mm. sailfish, from off 

 Texas, described by Beebe (1941), and as figure 

 22 a line drawing of an adult sailfish to portray 

 general outlines. 



LARVA, 3.6 MILLIMETERS 



(Fig. 2) 



Although the specimen is damaged, it is the 

 smallest complete larva in the material studied, 

 and is smaller than any specimen previously 

 described. 



Head. — The jaws are equal, and the snout is not 

 produced. The orbital crest originates anterior to 

 the nostril, curves over the eye (with a large spine 

 over the eye), and continues posteriorly as a 

 serrated ridge continuous with the dorsolateral 

 keel of the pterotic spine. The pterotic spine has 

 3 serrated keels (dorsolateral, dorsomedial, and 

 ventral in position), is directed posteriorly and 

 parallel to sagittal plane of the body, and prom- 

 inent serrations on the dorsolateral keel diminish 

 to minute notches on the ridge connecting with 

 the orbital crest. The main preopercular spine 

 has 3 serrated keels (dorsomedial, lateral, and 

 ventromedial in position), arises from the posterior 

 ventral edge of preopercle, is directed posteriorly 

 at approximately a 45-degree angle to sagittal 



