DEVELOPMENT AND LIFE HISTORY OF SOME TELEOSTS 
017 
the ventrals appear as three hairlike rays, which do not nearly reach the vent, and 
which at this stage are inserted laterally below the base of the pectorals. 
The color markings consist of some dark chromatophores on the head, some 
more on the back at the base of the dorsal finfold, one to several on the ventral edge 
of the body above base of the anal, and generally a few to several on the middle of the 
side, sometimes forming a more or less continuous black line. A few dark dots 
frequently are present around the mouth, and on the side along the upper margin of 
the abdomen. The distal part of the ventrals already are slightly dusky (fig. 128). 
The specimens described in the foregoing paragraphs are from Beaufort, N. C., 
and may be U. floridanus. In the same lot are specimens that apparently differ only 
in the absence of dusky color on the ventral fins and generally in having no color mark- 
ings above the base of the anal. As larger easily recognizable specimens of U. regius 
have no black on the ventral fins, it seems probable that small specimens destitute of 
this color also are U. regius. 
Figure 128. — Urophycis floridanus (?). From a specimen 3 mm long. 
Figure 129. — Urophycis chuss. From a specimen 2.75 mm long. 
In addition to the specimens already described, there are at hand specimens of the 
same size, taken off Cape Henry, Va., which apparently are representatives of a third 
species. The larvae differ rather markedly in having a proportionately much longer 
and more slender tail, the caudal portion of the body (without the finfold) being about 
equal in length to the head and trunk, and its depth just posterior to the vent is 
contained about 4.0 times in its length. The development of the ventral fins is some- 
what more retarded in these specimens, no rays being present. However, in slightly 
larger ones in the same lot they are developed, and are distinctly black distally. Other 
color markings agree with the specimens already described. Larger and easily re- 
cognizable specimens of U. chuss have the distal parts of the ventrals black. As U. 
floridanus, which also has black ventrals, is not known to occur as far north as Cape 
Henry, it seems probable that the last described larvae are U. chuss (fig. 129). 
