384 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
DESCRIPTION 
The complete vertical fins at this stage make identification easy. The back is 
much less elevated but otherwise most of the characters of the adult are evident. 
13.3-millimeter stage . — Dorsal VIII-I, 30; anal II, 7; pectorals well developed; 
ventrals closely behind pectorals; caudal doubly truncate. Total length, 13.3; 
standard length, 11.0; length to vent, 7.0; length of head, 3.5; diameter of eye, 0.8 
millimeter. Myomeres, 12 to vent plus 12 behind. Body rather deep before vent 
and somewhat compressed; back much less elevated than adult; mouth low, lower 
jaw included; maxillary to posterior margin of pupil; eye small, placed high; snout 
wider than eye; teeth in villiform bands, outer enlarged above; preopercle somewhat 
serrate. 
Pigmentation. — Chromatophores are rather large and sparsely distributed over 
top of head, around jaws, outlining preopercle and at base of pectorals. A subsur- 
face group occurs over the large air bladder and in the jugular region. None is 
apparent on dorsal or lateral aspects. Ventrally there are about 5 very large, delicate, 
stellate chromatophores from beginning of stomach region to vent. Behind vent 
about 5 subsurface ones join a double series of about 5 on the surface around base of 
anal, and the group is continued behind as a single series of 6 to 8 on ventral ridge. 
The base of caudal is outlined with chromatophores situated on the fin itself. 
15 .6-millimeter stage . — Total length, 15.6; standard length, 12.5; length to vent, 
8.0; length of head, 4.2; diameter of eye, 1.2; greatest depth, 4.0 millimeters. Myo- 
meres, 12 to vent plus 13 behind. Dorsal VIII-I, 30; anal II, 7. The present 
specimen is slightly older than preceding, but differs only in the increased number of 
chromatophores. Here, too, the first dorsal has one less spine than given in the 
description of the adult, but it may be incomplete at this young stage. 
Pigmentation. — The pigmentation is very scanty as in the preceding stage, but 
a few additional chromatophores have appeared at base of dorsal, and in a group on 
lateral aspect posterior to origin of dorsal, followed by about 20 chromatophores in 
an irregular broken series. Below the surface others occur on sides and under head, 
and they are sparingly distributed on all fins. 
BREEDING 
It is probable that the sheepshead spawns in early summer in Lake Erie. 
