AHLSTROM ET AL.: PLEURONECTIFORMES 



657 



Table 177. Size Data for Larvae of Achirinae and Soleinae. 



stage larvae of most species develop chevron-shaped bars on 

 the epaxial and hypaxial myosepta. Metamorphosing specimens 

 of Cyclopsetta have series of large ocelli on the dorsal and anal 

 fins. Dorsopsetta norma described by Nielsen (1963b) on the 

 basis of two metamorphosing specimens is apparently a species 

 of Cyclopsetta. 



Bolhidae (Figs. 346-348). — Two bothid subfamilies are recog- 

 nized, Taeniopsettinae and Bothinae. Bothid larvae are thin- 

 bodied to diaphanous, sparsely pigmented, and all develop an 

 elongate second dorsal ray (Table 1 75). Also, spines may appear 

 on the urohyal, basipterygia, cleithra and epiotics in a pattern 

 which is generally consistent for subfamilies and genera (Table 

 175). Bothid larvae reach a relatively large size before meta- 

 morphosis. Early larval stages are often poorly represented in 

 collections. 



Larval series are known for all taeniopsettine genera, except 

 Perissias. Larvae of Tnchopseita and Engyophrys are ovate while 

 those of Taemopsetta are round (Fig. 346). All have a complete 

 complement of head spines (Table 1 75). The second dorsal fin 

 ray is slightly or moderately elongate. Taeniopsetta lacks me- 

 lanophores, but live larvae have four reddish-orange spots along 

 the bases of the dorsal and anal fins, and orange, reddish and 

 yellow blotches and bands on the body and head. Tnchopsclla 

 has three series of melanistic blotches along the dorsal and anal 

 pterygiophores and along the body axis (left side). Engyophrys 

 lacks melanophores. 



Larvae of Bothinae have an ovate, round, or elongate shape 

 (Figs. 347, 348) and lack epiotic spines. Engyprosopon has nu- 

 merous urohyal and basipterygial spines and some species have 

 numerous spines on the cleithrum. Psellina and Grammato- 



hothiis have urohyal and basipterygial spines, and early larvae 

 of the former have a hook-like projection on the lower jaw (Fig. 

 346). Crossorhombiis and Lophonectes have basipterygial spines 

 only and all other known bothid larvae lack head spines. Cros- 

 sorhombus larvae have a series of scale spines along the bases 

 of the dorsal and anal fins, one scale per ray, and species of 

 Pseltina and .-irnoglossus also develop such scale spines. In the 

 species of .•lr«(),^/aM(« described by Kyle (1913), patches of scale 

 spines develop on the median and ventral regions of the ab- 

 domen. The second dorsal ray is usually moderately elongate 

 but can be greatly elongate and ornamented, as in Arnoglossus. 



Pigmentation is sparse in most bothine larvae and lacking in 

 some species. Exceptions are found in species of .Arnoglossus 

 and Psettina which usually have melanophores above the brain, 

 ventrally on the gut, above the gas bladder, in series along the 

 dorsal and ventral midlines, and along the horizontal septum; 

 in some species a complete or partial bar is present posleriad 

 on the tail. Preflexion larvae of Bothus have a melanistic blotch 

 near the tip of the notochord; later larval stages are unpig- 

 mented, except that transforming specimens of some species, 

 B. myriaster (Amaoka, 1964) and B. mancus(Fig. 347), become 

 heavily spotted over the body and fins, Laeops has melanistic 

 blotches forming an irregular pattern over the body and median 

 fins. 



Monolene shares some adult characters with taeniopsettines 

 but larval characters place it with the bothines. Larvae are elon- 

 gate, lack head spines, have an elongate ornamented second 

 dorsal ray, and melanistic pigment above the gut, on the right 

 side of the brain and on the dorsal fin membrane (Fig. 346). 



Pleuronectidae (Figs. 349-355).— Of the five pleuronectid 



