REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF SCIAENIDAE 
45 
bb. The break in contour at vent less pronounced; caudal portion of body proportionately 
deeper; depth immediately behind vent about 1.7 to 1.85 times diameter of eye; distance 
from tip of snout to vent about 2.0 in total length without caudal finfold; mouth strongly 
oblique, the gape anteriorly generally above middle of eye; ventral outline of trunk and 
tail with very small dark chromatophores, none on side or back Micropogon undulalus 
aa. Caudal portion of body shorter, about equal to or shorter (without finfold) than rest of body ; 
distance from snout to vent about 1.75 to 1.9 in total length (without caudal finfold). 
d. Caudal portion of body anteriorly with a black lateral stripe, continuous or composed of 
more or less separated elongated spots; ventral outline behind vent with close-set black 
chromatophores, often forming a nearly continuous line. 
e. Body moderately deep, the greatest depth about 2.6 in total length without caudal fin- 
fold; vent situated almost exactly at midbody length; depth immediately behind vent 
about 1.25 times diameter of eye; mouth moderately oblique, the gape anteriorly 
being somewhat below middle of eye; black lateral stripe on anterior half to two-thirds 
of tail composed of somewhat disconnected dashes; no black on the dorsal outline. 
Cynoscion nebulosus 
ee. Body very deep, the greatest depth about 2.4 times in total length without caudal fin- 
fold; vent situated well in advance of midbody length; depth immediately behind 
vent about 1.5 times diameter of eye; mouth strongly oblique, the gape anteriorly 
being about on a level with upper margin of eye; black lateral stripe on anterior 
half to two-thirds of tail continuous; dorsal outline of anterior part of tail with an 
almost continuous black line Menticirrhus americanus 
dd. Caudal portion of body without a black lateral stripe; ventral outline behind vent with 
a few to a series of several well-separated black chromatophores. 
/. Inner surface of base of primitive pectoral black; no black cross bar at shoulder, nor a 
black spot at lower angle of opercle; an elongate black spot on ventral surface at 
about midcaudal length. 
g. Body quite deep and robust, greatest depth 2.3 to 2.5 in total length without 
caudal finfold; mouth large, very broad, rather strongly oblique, the gape ante- 
riorly being about on a level with the middle of the eye; maxillary reaching 
almost to middle of eye; preopercle with a few spines Stellifer lanceo'atus 
gg. Body more slender, the greatest depth 2.8 to 3.2 in total length without caudal 
finfold; mouth somewhat smaller, narrower, rather less strongly oblique, the 
gape anteriorly being about on level with lower margin of pupil; maxillary 
reaching about to anterior margin of pupil; preopercle without evident spines. 
Larimus fasciatus 
//. Inner surface of base of pectoral not black; a broad black cross bar at shoulder (at least 
in fresh specimens), arid a black spot at lower angle of opercle; ventral surface of 
tail with a series of dark dots, none of them especially enlarged; body quite slender, 
the greatest depth 2.8 to 3.0 in the total length without the caudal finfold. 
Bairdiella chrysura 
KEY TO SPECIMENS 3.5 TO 4.0 MILLIMETERS LONG 
[Caudal fin generally more or less developed, and the notochord is bent upward posteriorly] 
a. Body moderately slender, the greatest depth more than 3 (about 3.3 to 3.8) times in length to 
end of notochord. 
b. Body without a black longitudinal stripe on side; mouth strongly oblique, the gape anteriorly 
above middle of eye; vent near midbody length, the distance from snout to vent being 
contained 2.0 to 2.1 times in length to end of notochord. 
c. Body abruptly more slender posterior to vent; greatest depth of body 3.3 to 3.4, and the 
greatest depth behind vent 6.2 to 7.5 in length to end of notochord; eye large, equal 
to length of snout, its diameter 1.35 to 1.4 in greatest depth behind vent. 
Leiostomus xanthurus 
cc. Body proportionately deeper behind vent; greatest depth of body 3.4 to 3.8, and the 
greatest depth behind vent 4.8 to 5.6 in length to end of notochord; eye smaller, 
shorter than snout, 1.9 to 2.2 in greatest depth behind vent Micropogon undulatus 
