WASHINGTON ET AL.: SCORPAENIFORMES 



425 





S5^ 



Fig. 231. Larvae of the Hemitripterus group (A-C) of cottids of Washington and Richardson (MS) (see Washington et al.. this volume) and 

 Agonidae. (A) Hemitripterus vitlosus. ca. 15.5 mm SL (from Kyushm, 1968); (B) Blepsias arrlwsus. 1 1.0 mm SL (from Richardson, 1981a); (C) 

 Nautichthys oculofasciatus. 1 1.7 mm SL (from Richardson and Washington. 1980); (D) Agonomalus or Hypsagonus sp., 8.2 mm SL (original, 

 courtesy B. Vinter). 



benthic juvenile occurs at about 14 to 15 mm SL. Rhampho- 

 cottus larvae are extremely deep-bodied with a very long snout- 

 anus length. 



Larvae are uniformly covered with melanophores except for 

 the caudal peduncle and ventral surface of the gut. Rhampho- 

 cottus develop small prickle-scales over most of the body by 9 

 or 10 mm. Larvae develop only one preopercular spine in con- 



trast to the usual four possessed by most cottid larvae. Parietal, 

 nuchal, supracleithral, posttemporal and postocular spines occur 

 during the larval period. 



Hemilepidotus-Scorpaenichthys (Fig. 226).— Larvae of this group 

 hatch at 4 to 6 mm NL. Transformation to the neustonic or 

 pelagic juvenile phase occurs at about 1 3 to 20 mm. Larvae are 



