1972). Information from CalCOFI samples shows that 

 bocaccio larvae occur as far south as Punta San Hip- 

 polito, Baja California, and seaward to about 400 km 

 (Fig. 6). The distribution of bocaccio larvae is not known 

 north of California since the CalCOFI sampling pattern 

 usually is terminated at the California-Oregon border. 

 Bocaccio larvae are present in CalCOFI samples for an 8- 

 mo period from November to June with a peak abun- 

 dance in January and February. Seasonal changes in 

 abundance and size of larvae are shown in Table 8. 



Table 8. Mean lengths (onn) of Sebasteg pauciaplnie larvae collected on crulaes 

 of the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisberiea Inveatigationa during 1953 

 and 1956. (standardized numbers of larvae are shown in parentheses.) 



Table 9. Measurements (mm) of larvae and pelagic juveniles of Sebastes macdonaldi . 

 (Specimens between dashed lines are undergoing notochord flexionV) 



Sehastea macdonaldi (Eigenmann and Beeson), 

 Figure 7 



Literature. — A description of the larvae and pelagic 

 and benthic juveniles of S. macdonaldi, the Mexican 

 rockfish or "coral cod," is presented in Moser (1972). 



Distinguishing features. — Larvae of S. macdonaldi 

 are born at a length of 4.0 to 5.0 mm. The gradual trans- 

 formation into pelagic juveniles begins at about 15 mm. 

 The pelagic juvenile phase appears to be highly pro- 

 tracted, since the smallest demersal juveniles known are 

 about 60 mm in length. 



Larvae of this species are relatively deep-bodied. Body 

 depth at the base of the pectoral fins averages 23% of the 

 body length before notochord flexion, 33% during 

 notochord flexion, and 34% in larvae which have com- 

 pleted notochord flexion (Table 9). The sequence of 

 development of the head spines is described in detail in 

 Moser (1972). 



The pectoral fins are short and compact, although they 

 gradually increase in length during the larval period. Fin 

 length averages 8% of the body length before notochord 

 flexion, 13% during flexion, and 19% in larvae which 

 have completed flexion. The fin elongates markedly in 

 pelagic juveniles, where its average length is 31%i of the 

 body length. The sequence of ossification of the fins and 

 bony skeleton is given in Table 10. 



The most distinctive pigment is on the paired fins. The 

 pectorals are covered solidly with melanophores in new- 

 born larvae. When rays develop the solid pigmentation is 

 restricted to the membranes between the rays but the 

 overall appearance is a dark compact fin with light 

 striations. The pelvic fins develop similar pigmentation. 

 When the paired fins become elongate in pelagic 

 juveniles, they retain their distinct dark pigmentation. 

 Early larvae have a group of melanophores on the nape 

 and an unusually low number of melanophores in the 

 ventral tail series. In a sample of 60 newborn larvae, the 

 number of ventral midline melanophores ranged from 6 

 to 14 with a median of 8. Patches of melanophores 



•Pelagic juvenile, 



develop over the brain, on the opercle and preopercle. 

 Late in the larval period, melanophores form lateral to 

 the base of the dorsal fin. It is from these elongate 

 patches that the striking pigment saddles extend ven- 

 trad in pelagic juveniles. 



Distribution. — This species has the most southerly 

 distribution of any species of Sebastes in the eastern 

 North Pacific. Adults have been taken as far north as 

 Pt. Sur, Calif., and as far south as Morgan Bank, near 

 Cape San Lucas, Baja California. Its abundance on the 

 banks off southern Baja California, and in certain areas 

 of the Gulf of California, suggests that the outer coast 

 populations and the Gulf populations may be continuous 

 (Moser 1972). 



CalCOFI data show that larvae of this species are most 

 abundant off central Baja California. Larval abundance 

 declines sharply to the north of this region and larvae do 

 not occur north of Los Angeles (Fig. 8). Larval abun- 

 dance falls off less sharply to the south of Punta Eugenia; 

 however, the CalCOFI sampling pattern does not allow 

 exact delimitation of the southern range of S. mac- 

 donaldi larvae. 



The larvae are present in CalCOFI samples over a 6- 

 mo period from January to June with a peak abundance 

 in March. Seasonal changes in abundance and size of lar- 

 vae are shown in Table 11. A few larvae of this species 

 were taken in the Gulf of California. 



16 



