DUNN AND MATARESE: GADIDAE 



285 



Fig. 145. (A) Preflexion larva of Bros me brosme. 5.9 mm SL (Huntsman Mar. Lab., H-16260. stored at NWAFC); (B) Flexion larva of Molva 

 moha. 8.2 mm SL (Inst. Sci. Tech. Peches Marit., Nantes, stored at NWAFC); and (C) Preflexion larva of Lota lota. 3.7 mm SL (Group Interuniv. 

 Res. Oceanogr., Quebec, stored at NWAFC). 



va, and Lota (MarkJe, 1982). Brosme is monotypic and occurs 

 on both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean. Molva. with three 

 nominal species, occurs in the east and west North Atlantic 

 Ocean (Svetovidov, 1 948; Leim and Scott, 1 966). Lola is mono- 

 typic and two subspecies occur in fresh and brackish waters of 

 Europe, northern Asia, and North America (Pivnicka, 1970). 



The characteristics of the subfamily, based on Markle (1982) 

 and this study, are egg diameter relatively large (0.97-1 .90 mm); 

 oil globule present (0.2-0.3 mm diameter); vertebrae numerous 

 (62-66 total, 20-26 precaudal in specimens examined); pterotic 

 spines absent; pelvic ray formation prior to notochord flexion 

 but acquisition of adult complement delayed; x and v bones 

 usually absent; 4-5 primary caudal fin rays; 45-54 total caudal 

 fin rays; and numerous total dorsal and anal fin rays (77-108D 

 and 59-75A). 



Eggs and larvae of lotines are reasonably well known (Tables 

 77-79). Brosme and Molva shed planktonic eggs whereas Lola 

 deposits nonadhesive, demersal eggs, all with a single oil globule. 

 The chorion of eggs of Brosme has deep pits visible by scanning 

 electron microscopy (Markle, pers. comm.'). 



Lotine larvae hatch at moderate sizes (3-4 mm), yolk is ab- 

 sorbed at around 5 mm, and notochord flexion is delayed (9- 

 25 mm). Size at transformation is large and the duration of the 

 pelagic stage is extensive (Table 78). The larvae tend to be 

 slender to moderately slender and taper toward the tail. Pelvic 

 fins are precocious in Brosme and Molva. but not Lola. 



Head pigment in larvae is generally limited to the mouth and 

 dorsal area of the head. Gut pigment is sparse, initially located 

 only on the dorsal surface. Brosme and Molva have pelvic fins 



' D. F. Markle, Huntsman Marine Laboratory, St. Andrews, New- 

 Brunswick, pers. comm., 25 February 1983. 



which are pigmented distally. Postanal pigment patterns are 

 similar in Brosme and Molva (Table 79). Brosme larvae have 

 two postanal bars and distinctive pigment above and below the 

 urostyle (Fig. 1 45 A). Although Molva does not have a bar pat- 

 tern initially, the dorsal and ventral pigment eventually coalesce 

 into two postanal pigment bands, the characteristics of which 

 are of taxonomic value in differentiating species in the genus 

 (Fig. 145B). Preflexion larvae (3-7 mm) of L. lota (lacusiris?) 

 in North American waters were reported by Fish (1932) to lack 

 postanal pigment. Snyder (1979), however, reported finding dor- 

 sal and ventral postanal pigment in preflexion larvae identified 

 as L. lota, as we did in those we examined from James Bay, 

 Canada (Fig. 145C). 



Brosme has single dorsal and anal fins with a slight separation 

 between the anal and caudal fins (Markle, 1982). The neural 

 spine on preural centrum one (PU,) is distally flattened, the 

 haemal spine on this centrum is distally rounded (Table 82), 

 and \/y bones are absent (Fig. 146). Molva possesses two dorsal 

 fins with only a slight internal separation. The haemal spine on 

 PU, is distally rounded and x/v bones are present or absent 

 (usually absent). Lola also possesses two dorsal fins, with only 

 slight internal separation, and a single anal fin. Both the neural 

 and haemal spines on PU, are distally flattened and the species 

 usually lacks x/v bones, but a reduced x and/or y bone is some- 

 times present (Markle, 1982). 



Subfamily Phycinae (Tables 77-82, Figs. 147-148). -T^xt 

 subfamily Phycinae was resurrected by Markle (1982) who ex- 

 amined seven species of Northwest Atlantic gadids belonging 

 to four genera: Enchelyopus, Gaidropsarus, Phycis. and (Jro- 

 phycis. We include also Ciliata and, arbitrarily, Raniceps as 

 phycines. Enchelyopus and Raniceps are each monotypic; the 

 former is found on both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean, the 



