ABOUSSOUAN AND LEIS: BALISTOIDEI 



457 





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Mor- 



Fig. 250. Monacanthid preflexion larvae, (upper) A manses pulhis 3.99 mm SL, Y-92; (lower) ,-l/M;era sp. 2.76 mm SL, ASF-94 western Atlantic 

 (preopercular cluster of spinules not seen in these specimens). 



the pelvis forms from a single unpaired aniage located just pos- 

 terior to the cleithral symphysis. The terminal encasing scales 

 form first as unspecialized spinules, and at the same time a pair 

 of pelvic elements begins to ossify. The pelvis then fuses begin- 

 ning from its base (e.g., in a 2.35 mm specimen, the pelvis is 

 roughly 'Y'-shaped and fused along about 75% of its length). 



The "two ventral fins" observed by Hildebrand and Cable (1930) 

 are probably dermal flaps similar to those of Alutera sp. 



Development of the preopercular cluster of spinules, aside 

 from Leis and Rennis (1983), has been described in published 

 works only for Batistes capnscus (Sanzo. 1939b; Matsuura and 

 Katsuragawa, 1981) and Pahka scaber (Crossland, 1981), al- 



