78 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
The indications are that the fish when about 2.0 millimeters long (preserved 
specimens) virtually ceases to increase in length for a while. During the time it 
fails to grow in length it appears to increase greatly in robustness, and the caudal 
portion of the body becomes proportionately much shorter, as shown by the propor- 
tional measurements given in the foregoing description and by figures 19 and 20. 
Specimens 2.5 millimeters long have the appearance of being considerably older than 
those 2.0 millimeters long. 
Specimens 3.0 to 3.5 millimeters long . — The fish has increased further in depth, the 
tail particularly having become much deeper, and the body, although rather robust, 
is compressed throughout. The decrease in depth immediately behind the vent, 
abrupt in younger fish, has become much less pronounced. The distance from the 
snout to the vent is contained 1.55 to 1.65 times in the length to the end of the noto- 
chord, distance posterior to vent (without finfold) 2.0 to 2.2 times, and the greatest 
depth 2.2 to 2.5 times. The notochord remains nearly straight in a specimen 3.0 
millimeters long, but is bent upward quite sharply distally in a fish 3.3 millimeters 
long. A large vacant space exists between the brain and the cranium, and a few 
rather prominent spines are present on the preopercular margin. The mouth remains 
moderately oblique, the gape anteriorly being only a little higher than the lower 
Figure 20 . — Stellifer lanceolatus. From a specimen 2.5 millimeters long. 
margin of the eye, and the maxillary reaches nearly opposite the middle of the eye. 
The caudal and pectoral fins contain well developed rays; the soft dorsal and anal 
bases are rather well outlined, but the rays are not fully differentiated; the spinous 
dorsal is not evident; and the ventral fins if present appear as mere tufts of membrane. 
Color markings on the chest and abdomen have increased in number and intensity. 
A short dark cross line, preceded by a median black spot, usually is present on the 
chest; a few indistinct dark points appear at the base of the ventrals; and a rather 
distinct short dark bar (sometimes consisting of a few dark points only) crosses the 
abdomen behind the ventrals. The elongate dark spot at about midlength on the 
ventral outline of the tail, mentioned in descriptions of smaller larvae, now is situated 
at or near the end of the base of the anal fin, and occasionally a black point is present 
directly over it on the dorsal outline. In some specimens, at least, a small dark 
spot has appeared also at the origin of the anal. The inner surface of the base of 
the pectorals remains black, and a dark shoulder spot is present as in the younger 
fish (fig. 21). 
The most prominent advancement in the development since a length of about 
2.5 millimeters was attained consists in the further deepening of the body, especially 
the caudal portion, causing a less pronounced break in the ventral outline at the vent. 
