FISHES FROM NORTHEASTEEN PACIFIC — CHAPMAK 511 



well up on the body, about midway between the dorsal and ventral 

 outlines. Their rays are fine and long, reaching to the middle of the 

 anal fin. The ventrals are likewise placed high on the body and well 

 forward so that they are only a short way ventral and posterior to the 

 pectoral fins. They are inserted far ahead of the origm of the dorsal. 

 Their rays are moderately stout near their bases and extremely long, 

 reaching beyond the posterior end of the body. Although the caudal 

 fin is frayed, it can be seen that it is distinctly divided into a dorsal 

 and a ventral lobe. The anus opens far ahead of the origin of the 

 anal fin, only a short distance posterior to a vertical from the bases 

 of the ventral fins. 



6.5-MILLIMETER STAGE 



The specimen from station 817A is the smallest one in the collection. 

 It is 6.5 mm in total length. Unfortunately, like most of the smaller 

 specimens, it is so badly twisted that measurements cannot be accu- 

 rately made. The head is contained in the total length 2.9 times. 

 The eyes are torn from the sockets, and it is not possible to see how 

 much they point dorsally. There is a small spot of pigment at the 

 nape. Along the posterior half of the dorsal midline there is a row 

 of 14 small pigm.ent spots arranged segmentally. A similar line of 

 pigment extends from the sixth segment behind the vent to the base 

 of the caudal fin. There is a small amount of pigment around the 

 posterior half of the abdomen. The lateral bars of pigment so 

 characteristic of the later postlarval stages are completely absent. 

 The large head, the long flat snout, and the tiny mouth are similar to 

 the same structures in the older specimens. The number of body 

 segments (35), together with the former characters, makes the identi- 

 fication of this peculiar fish easy even at such a small size. The 

 notocord projects almost straight back from the body. The caudal 

 rays are just beginning to form along its lower side. There is no trace 

 of the dorsal, adipose, pectoral, ventral, or anal fins. 



12-MILLIMETER STAGE (FIG. 60) 



The specimen from station 953C is 12 mm in length without caudal. 

 The head is contained in the length 3.7 times; the greatest depth of 

 the body 6; and the snout to the insertion of the ventrals 2.3. The 

 specimen is long and slender, quite unlike the adult in this character. 

 The characteristic large head with the long flat snout and tiny mouth 

 are present. The eyes at this stage point nearly vertically and are 

 surrounded laterally by black pigment. There is a fine Ime of pig- 

 ment extending backward along the ventral side of the head from 

 each corner of the lower jaw. A similar, but median, line of pigment 

 lies along the ventral midline below the heart and the anterior portion 

 of the alimentary tract. The pigment along the dorsal and ventral 



