Riley et al.: Development and growth of hatchery-reared larval Trachmotus carolinus 
323 
Figure S 
Late stage Florida pompano ( Trachinotus carolinus) reared in the 
laboratory and photographed with a dissecting microscope and digi- 
tal camera. (A) Postflexion larva at 18 days after hatching (DAH) 
undergoing transformation. Note presence of preopercular spines. 
(B) Juvenile at 20 DAH transitioning to artificial feeds. Scale rep- 
resents 1 mm. 
trial (P<0.001) after nine DAH. Larvae in the third 
trial grew significantly faster than fish in the first and 
second trial (P<0.001). No significant differences were 
detected among the first two rearing trials (P=0.18). 
No significant differences were observed in larval 
mouth size among rearing trials (P=0.16). The mean 
mouth gape of larvae was 0.266 ±0.075 mm at first 
feeding and increased with a growth rate of 0.13 ±0.04 
mm/d (Table 3). The length of the upper and lower jaws 
and mouth gape increased linearly with age (Table 4). 
Predicted values for optimal prey sizes ranged from 80 
to 130 pm at three DAH, 160 to 267 pm at five DAH, 
and 454 to 757 pm at 10 DAH. These values correspond 
closely with the sizes of rotifers and Artemia spp. nau- 
plii fed to larvae during each of the rearing trials. 
Larvae that exhibited aggressive behavior progressed 
through metamorphosis earlier than their cohorts. Can- 
nibalism, defined by Smith and Reay (1991) as the act 
of killing and consuming the whole, or major part, of 
an individual belonging to the same species regardless 
of its age or stage of development, was not observed in 
the rearing trials. The dominant, aggressive behavior 
observed was that of inflicting injury that resulted in 
mortality in small premetamorphic individuals. 
Discussion 
As a direct result of aquaculture research, the larval 
development of a number of valuable marine fish species 
has been described and characterized. The early life 
stages of species such as striped bass (Morone saxatilis ; 
Brown et al., 1998), red drum ( Scieanops ocellatus\ Lee 
et al., 1984), and red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus; 
Drass et al., 2000) were studied to support efforts for 
food production and stock enhancement in the United 
States, and global research on the early life history of 
a number of valuable species has led to the develop- 
