400 
Fishery Bulletin 95(2), 1997 
Dorsal ray, anal spine, anal ray, pectoral ray, and 
caudal ray counts of sheepshead overlap with those 
of most other sparids (Table 4). For most species of 
Archosargus, Calamus, Diplodus, Lagodon, Pagrus, 
and Stenotomus, 11 or 12 dorsal spines are typical, 
with a range of 10-13. Dorsal rays mostly number 
10-12, with a range of 9-16, and anal rays mostly 
are 10-11, with a range of 8-15. Caudal rays usually 
are in the range of 32-38, with 9+8 principal rays. 
For sheepshead, typical counts followed by ranges 
in parentheses are caudal rays 32-33 (8-9+9+8+7), 
dorsal spines 12 ( 10-12), dorsal rays 11 (10-13), anal 
Table 3 
Spawning, egg, and hatchling data for sheepshead, Archosargus probatocephalus ; Caribbean sea bream, Archosargus rhomboidalis', 
pinfish, Lagodon rhomboides; and scup, Stenotomus chrysops. 
Sheepshead 
Sea bream 
Pinfish 
Scup 
Location 
Florida 
Florida 
Florida 
Northeastern U.S. 
Spawning season 
Feb-Apr 
Sep-May 
Oct-Mar 
May-Aug 
Egg diameter (pm) 
806-865 
800-940 
990-1, 050 2 
800-1,150 
Oil globule diameter (pm) 
187-241 
210-260 
~200 ; 
140-280 
Hatching temperature (°C) 
23 
24 
18 
22 
Incubation time (h) 
28 
~<22 
48 
<40 
Hatchling length (mm TL) 
1. 7-1.8 
2. 1-2.3 
~2 
References 
Present study 
Houde and Potthoff, 1976 
Caldwell, 1957 
Cardeilhac, 1976 
Kuntz and Radcliffe, 1917 
Hildebrand and 
Schroeder, 1928 
Wheatland, 1956 
1 Unfertilized. 
Table 4 
Comparison of selected larval and juvenile characters of sheepshead, Archosargus probatocephalus, reared at a mean tempera- 
ture of 23°C and Caribbean sea bream, Archosargus rhomboidalis, reared at 26°C (Houde and Potthoff, 1976): size and age from 
first development to completion in all specimens. Less common counts are in parentheses. Because specimens were not taken 
every day, age ranges are approximate. BL = body length; dah = days after hatching. 
Archosargus 
probatocephalus 
Archosargus rhomboidalis 
Adult number 
BL (mm) 
Age (dah) 
Adult number 
BL (mm) 
Age (dah) 
Hatchling 
1.6-1. 7 
2.0-2.2 2 
Flexion 
3. 5-5.0 
9-21 
4. 2-4. 9 
9-11 
Pectoral rays 
15 
4.7-10.3 
14-38 
14(15) 
5.0 — 8.0 
11-15 
Caudal rays 
(819+9+8+7-8(9) 
4.9-13.7 
14-53 
(10)8-9+9+8+7-8(9) 
4.1-10.2 
7-16 
Dorsal rays 
12-13 
5.3-13.7 
17-53 
10-11 
5. 0-5. 7 
11-13 
Anal rays 
10-11(12) 
5. 4-6.4 
17-28 
10(11) 
5.0-5. 7 
11-13 
Pelvic rays 
5 
6.2-13.7 
28-53 
5 
6.6-15.6 
26-37 
Dorsal spines 
11 
7. 2-8. 5 
28-38 
(12)13(14) 
5. 7-8.2 
13-16 
Prejuvenile 2 
>6.0, <13.7 
>28, <53 
Pelvic spines 
1 
8. 5-9. 5 
28-38 
1 
6.6-15.6 
26-37 
Anal spines 
3 
8.5-13.7 
28-53 
3 
5.4-7. 1 
13-26 
Juvenile 2 
13.7 
>38, <53 
20.0 
~35 
1 Smallest specimens described. 
2 Juvenile coloration attained; all fin elements present except last dorsal spine, last pectoral ray, and last one or two pelvic rays. 
3 All fin elements present, and fish fully scaled. 
