PIETSCH: LOPHIIFORMES 



321 



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Fig. 164. Representative larvae of lophiiform fishes: (A) Lophius americanus. 12 mm TL, taken from Martin and Drewry, 1978:364, fig. 

 191B; (B) Hislrio hislrio. 5.3 mm TL, taken from Adams, 1960:64, fig. IB; (C) Chaunax sp., 9.8 mm TL, ZMUC P922155. Gulf of Mexico, 

 22°06'N, 84°58'W; (D) Ogcocephalus sp.. 10.4 mm TL, SHL D-66-12, P-4, Western North Atlantic. 34<'17'N, 76°23.5'W; (E) Caulophrvnejordani. 

 9.5 mm TL, ZMUC P92198. taken from Bertelsen, 1951:35, fig. UB. 



have been described in Antennarius stria! us (Phrynelox scaber 

 and P. nuttingi oi Kas(\\i\n, 1958, and P. sca/)er of Martin and 

 Drewry. 1978) and Histrio histrio (Martin and Drewry, 1978 

 and numerous references cited therein), with only brief descrip- 

 tions of the "scutatus" prejuvenile stage of A. radiosus (see 

 below). Of these, H. histrio is by far the best known. Spawning 

 occurs year-round except in February and March. Freshly 

 spawned egg rafts measure approximately 25-50 mm wide and 

 90 mm long. Eggs are initially oval in shape (their major axis 

 measuring 0.62-0.65 mm), but become spherical at the time of 

 the second cleavage. Ova are extremely transparent (Mosher, 

 1954) and colorless, without oil globules. As development pro- 

 ceeds, the raft unrolls, expanding to a length of 90 cm (Smith, 

 1907). The membranes remain firm until about the 6-1 1 myo- 

 mere stage, but then begin to deteriorate, the raft softening and 



expanding to about three times its original dimensions, and 

 finally beginning to sink. Yolk-sac larvae measure 0.88-1 .7 mm 

 TL. The larvae, most strikingly characterized by their large head 

 (greater than 45% standard length), range in size from approx- 

 imately 1.6-7.2 mm TL (Fig. 164B). Pigmentation is conspic- 

 uous about the head and midgut. The base of the pelvic fin 

 elongates at about 12 mm TL, at which time the pigmentation 

 of the midgut begins to fade. The sequence of fin formation is 

 as follows: caudal, anal, soft-dorsal, pelvic, pectoral, the dorsal 

 spines being the last to form at approximately 13 mm TL. 

 Prejuveniles range in size from approximately 7,3-20 mm TL. 

 (Taken from Martin and Drewry, 1978:372-384, where the 

 reader will find a full series of figures, and a more detailed 

 description of the early development of H. histrio, as well as 

 that o{ A. striatus.) 



