DE SYLVA: MUGILOIDEI 



531 



Fig. 280. Various stages of development of eggs of silver mullet. Mugil curema: (a) unfertilized eggs; (b) 2 hours after fertilization (32 blastomeres); 

 (c) 4 hours after fertilization (blastodisc well formed, cells small); (d) 8 hours after fertilization (segmentation cavity forming); (e) 12 hours after 

 fertilization (early embryo); (0 16 hours after fertilization (embryo); (g) 24 hours after fertilization (lateral view of embryo); (h) 24 hours after 

 fertilization (top view of embryo); (i) 32 hours after fertilization (lateral view of embryo) (from Anderson, 1957). 



281). All larvae have stellate melanophores on the oil globule, 

 which also occur on the forehead of some species. This feature 

 has not been studied for mugilids on a global basis, but offers 

 possibilities for phyletic analysis. 



At hatching, stellate melanophores also occur on the yolk 

 surface and body, with fine spots along the dorsal and ventral 

 profile of the caudal trunk. The caudal rays form first, at 4 mm 

 total length. The second dorsal forms at between 4 and 5.7 mm. 



and the first dorsal forms at 5.4 mm. Scales begin to develop 

 at between 8 and 10 mm and are well formed at 1 1 mm. Pig- 

 mentation is strong at from 2 to 5 mm, and the dorsal surface 

 is dark by 5 mm total length. By a length of 8.2 to 10.9 mm 

 they are silvery white to silvery green, and at this size they 

 resemble the adults in body form, there being no distinctive 

 metamorphosis throughout development (Fig. 281). 



Identification of later larvae (Fig. 282) is based upon color. 



