652 



ONTOGENY AND SYSTEMATICS OF FISHES-AHLSTROM SYMPOSIUM 



Table 175. Meristic and Larval Characters of Bothidae. 



1965; Amaoka. 1976 



Asterorhombus 



Japonotaeops 



Mancopsetta 



Neolaeops 



Parabolhus 



Tosarhombus 



10 + 26-27 = 36-37 



11 + 41-44 = 52-53 

 13-16 + 38-50 = 52-66 



13 -I- 38 = 51 

 10-1- 31-36 = 41-46 

 10 -I- 28-30 = 38-40 



= yes; 



^ = absent; + = present; + + = strong. 



^ S = shon; M = moderate; L - long. 



these two subgroups hatching, notochord flexion and meta- 

 morphosis occur at a small size (Table 1 74). Larvae of these 

 groups are noted for a dorsal crest consisting of elongate early 

 forming rays, beginning with the second dorsal ray (Table 1 74). 

 Larvae of the Paralichthys group are moderate in body depth, 

 with a deep head and moderate-size jaws. Body thickness is 

 moderate except that Paralichthys is more laterally compressed 

 than in other genera reported (Fig. 344). The gut mass is large. 

 Preopercular spination consists of an anterior and posterior se- 

 ries in Paralichthys. Pseudorhombus and Tarphops and an an- 

 terior series only in Hippoglossina. Larvae of Paralichthys den- 

 talus have one to several minute sphenotic spines (Smith and 

 Fahay. 1970) and P. olivaceus develops a spine cluster on the 

 sphenotic, one spine on the epiotic. and 1-2 spines on each bone 

 in the opercular series. Larvae of Pseudorhombus pentophthal- 

 inus have a single sphenotic spine, and some on the opercular 

 bones (Okiyama, 1 974a); Devi ( 1 969) shows two rows of sphen- 

 otic spines in P. elevatus. 



Yolk-sac larveofthe Paralichthys and Pseudorhombus e,Toups 

 develop moderate to heavy pigmentation with some on the 

 finfolds. Later-stage larvae have pigment over the brain, on the 

 lower head and jaw region and below and lateral to the gut. 

 Most species have a melanophore series along the dorsum and 



ventrum. Lateral pigment may consist of a series along the 

 horizontal septum {Paralichthys. Tarphops), a wide-spread zone 

 of melanophores (Xysireurys. Hippoglossina) or a posterior bar 

 (Pseudorhombus penlophlhalmus). Most species have a series 

 of internal melanophores above the spinal column and some 

 melanophores on the posterior region of the finfold and devel- 

 oping dorsal and anal fins. 



Larvae of the Cyclopsetta assemblage are similar morpholog- 

 ically to those of the Paralichthys and Pseudorhombus assem- 

 blages, but differ in spination and fin ray development. The rays 

 forming the dorsal crest are typically longer and stand out more 

 abruptly compared with Paralichthys and associated genera. The 

 fin ray complement of the crest, along with other characters, 

 divides the assemblage into two generic pairs: Citharichthys- 

 Etropus and Cyclopsetta-Syacium. Species of the former group 

 have either two or three elongate rays, except for two species 

 which lack a crest altogether (Table 1 74). Species of Syacium 

 have 5-8 elongate dorsal rays and 8-1 1 occur in Cyclopsetta. 

 The left pelvic fin forms before the right and may develop elon- 

 gate rays in some species. The first two pelvic rays are elongate 

 in Citharichthys sordidus and C. plalophrys. the second ray only 

 is elongate in C. cornutus. C. gymnorhinus. C. spilopterus and 

 Etropus crossotus; C. arctifrons. C. stigmaeus and E. micros- 



