DE SYLVA: SPHYRAENOIDEI 



535 



i ^-"4 



Fig. 284. Developmental stages of Sphyraena borealis reared in the 

 laboratory. (A) 3.8 mm; (B) 4.3 mm; (C) 5.3 mm; (D) 7.4 mm (from 

 Houde, 1972b). 



VJ.V- 



Fig. 285. Developmental stages of Sphyraena borealis. Specimens 

 A, B, and C were laboratory reared; specimen D was collected in a 

 plankton net. (A) 9.4 mm SL; (B) 12.3 mm SL; (C) 14.5 mm SL; (D) 

 21.0 mm SL(from Houde, 1972b). 





Fig. 286. Drawings showing changes in pigmentation and body form 

 with larval development in Sphyraena barracuda. (A) 5.5 mm SL; col- 

 lected by R/S DANA, Station 1293-V, 17°43'N, 64°56'W, April 17, 

 1922. (B) 6.6 mm SL; collected by R/S DANA, Station 952, 17°55'N, 

 64°48'W, May 12, 1921. (C) 8.6 mm SL; collected by R/S DANA, 

 Station 1352-V, 35°42'N, 73°43W, May 21, 1922. (D) 11.9 mm SL; 

 collected by Donald P. deSylva, 1 mile southwest of the harbor entrance 

 of North Bimini, Bahamas, June 6, 1956 (from de Sylva, 1963). 



lister, 1937; Monod, 1968). Development of Sphyraena is di- 

 rect, with no metamorphosis (Vialli, 1956; de Sylva, 1963; 

 Houde, 1972b). 



Meristic characters are not especially valuable in differen- 

 tiating most adult species of this family. Although little work 

 has been done on larval meristic characters, it would be expected 

 similarly that they would not prove valuable. Anal rays vary 

 from 8 to 9, and the dorsal secondary rays of the caudal fin vary 

 from 9 to 10 in two different subgenera. 



Similarly, morphological characteristics do not differ widely 

 in the early life history of the species except that two groups 

 can be broadly identified— those with blunt heads and more 

 fusiform bodies, such as S. barracuda (de Sylva, 1963) (Figs. 

 286, 287) and those with more slender heads and having fleshy 

 tips on the lower jaw and a more slender, tapering body, as in 

 S. sphyraena and S. borealis (ViaWi, 1956; Houde, 1972b) (Figs. 

 284, 285). 



Adult species are distinguished by the shape and angle of the 

 teeth, number of lateral line scales, opercular and preopercular 

 bone configuration, lateral pigment pattern, dorsal fin place- 

 ment, and kinds of gill rakers. 



In 5. barracuda, adult characters are acquired over a size range 

 of from 5.5 to 2 1 3 mm. Pigmentation is acquired gradually from 

 about 5.5 mm to 24 mm, then rapidly above that size. 



In S. barracuda, the caudal fin forms first followed by the 



