398 
Fishery Bulletin 95(2), 1 997 
Table 1 
Meristic ranges for 65 reared sheepshead, Archosargus probatocephalus, larvae and juveniles. 
Days after 
hatching 
No. of 
specimens 
Caudal 
rays 
Dorsal 
spines 
Dorsal 
rays 
Anal 
spines 
Anal 
rays 
Pectoral 
rays 
Pelvic 
spines 
Pelvic 
rays 
Preflexion 
9 
5 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
14 
2 
0-7 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Flexion 
9 
1 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
14 
8 
7-11 
0 
0 
0 
0 
2-3 
0 
0 
17 
10 
9-17 
0 
5-10 
0 
3-9 
5-7 
0 
0 
21 
2 
15-16 
0 
0-6 
0 
6-9 2 
7-9 
0 
0 
Postflexion 
28 
5 
21-29 
10 2 
11-12 2 
2-3 2 
10 
11-13 
0 
0-3 
Prejuvenile 
28 
2 
30-32 7 
10 
11-12 
3 
10-11 
13-14 
l 7 
4 
38 
10 
30-34 
11 
11-13 
2-3 
10-11 
14-15 7 
1 
3-4 
Juvenile 
53 
10 
32-34 
11 
12-13 
3 
10-12 
15 
1 
5 ; 
67 
10 
32-34 
11 
12-13 
3 
10-11 
15 
1 
5 
1 First reached adult number. 
2 First reached adult number, but one more will be added. 
sea bream hatched at ~55 haf, first fed at -100 hah 
(-155 haf) and exhausted their yolk at -115 hah 
(-170 haf) and their oil slightly later. Also at 18°C, 
pinfish (with similar sized eggs) hatched at -48 haf 
and were ready to feed sooner, by -76 hah (-124 
hafKCardeilhac, 1976). Oil of unfed pinfish was ex- 
hausted at -150 hah (-198 haf) and yolk at -165 
hah (213 haf). 
Distinguishing characteristics 
Between hatching and full eye pigmentation, Carib- 
bean sea bream had little coloration, but sheepshead 
had five large ventral melanophores and scup three 
large ventral melanophores. In both sheepshead and 
scup, one melanophore was over the gut and the sec- 
ond over the anus. In sheepshead, the remaining 
three were evenly spaced between the anus and no- 
tochord tip. In scup, the third melanophore was about 
halfway between the anus and notochord tip, and 
each of the three areas of pigment formed more of a 
lateral band than in sheepshead. From about 2.7 mm 
to at least 10 mm TL, both sea bream and scup had a 
ventral row of postanal melanophores associated with 
myosepta; sheepshead had scattered ventral melano- 
phores, rather than an evenly-spaced row. By about 
9 mm TL, prejuvenile sheepshead had five or six dis- 
tinct lateral black bars on the body; all juveniles had 
six. Sheepshead from the Atlantic typically have six 
complete bars, whereas those from the Gulf of Mexico 
typically have five (Johnson, 1978). By about 15 mm 
Days after hatching 
Figure 4 
Growth of sheepshead, Archosargus probatocephalus , lar- 
vae and early juveniles. The dashed curve represents mean 
body length and the solid curve represents mean total 
length. Dots represent mean dry weight. 
TL, Caribbean sea bream had six indistinct bars 
(Houde and Potthoff, 1976). By about 25 mm TL, scup 
had six irregular bars (Johnson, 1978). By about 30 
mm TL, pinfish had five or six indistinct bars 
(Hildebrand and Cable, 1938). 
Meristics are only slightly helpful for identifica- 
tion. Western North Atlantic sparids usually have 
10 precaudal vertebrae and 14 caudal vertebrae (Jor- 
dan and Evermann, 1896-1900; Miller and Jorgen- 
son, 1973; Hoese and Moore, 1977; Johnson, 1978). 
