WASHINGTON ET AL.: SCORPAENIFORMES 



417 





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dft^/ 



Fig. 226. Larvae of the Rhamphocottus group (A) and the Scorpaenichthys group (B. C) of cottids of Washington and Richardson (MS) (see 

 Washington et al., this volume). (A) Rhamphocottus nchardsoni. 10.6 mm SL (from Richardson and Washington, 1980); (B) Scorpaenichthys 

 inarmoratus. 8.7 mm SL (ibid.); (C) Hemilepidotus spinosus, 1 1.0 mm SL (ibid.). 



those of the other fins. The pectoral fins are pigmented at the 

 distal margin; other pigment includes a sheath over the gut and 

 melanophores above the brain. Head spination is highly de- 

 veloped (Fig. 222); the sequence of development is similar to 

 that of scorpaenines. In addition to the spine complement of 

 scorpaenines, Sebastolobus larvae develop the 2nd and 3rd up- 

 per infraorbital spines and the 1 st anterior preopercular spine. 



Setarchinae. — Larvae are known for Ectreposebastes imus (Moser 

 et al., 1977). Hatching and notochord flexion occur at a small 

 size as in the scorpaenines; however, postflexion larvae attain 

 a large size (Table 107). Larvae have the deepest body of known 



scorpaenids; body depth reaches 55% of body length in late 

 postflexion stage. The gut is compact with an elongate terminal 

 section; snout-anus distance averages 53% of body length in 

 preflexion larvae and 76% in postflexion. The pectoral fins are 

 deep-based, fan-shaped, and large, extending to the caudal pe- 

 duncle (Fig. 222). Fin base depth and fin length reach 22% and 

 57% of the body length respectively. The pigment pattern con- 

 sists of a postanal ventral series of 1 1-14 melanophores (not 

 present after 4.0 mm), a blotch above the gas bladder, and an 

 almost solid sheath over the pectoral fin, which recedes distally 

 with development. Head spine development is similar to that 

 of scorpaenines. 



