Watson et at: Early larvae of Sebastes ensifer identified by molecular methods 
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Table 2 
Measurements of head and pectoral girdle spines of larval swordspine rockfish ( Sebastes ensifer) collected in the Southern 
California Bight during the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations survey in April 1999 and the Base- 
line Cowcod Conservation Area (CCA) survey in February 2002, and given as percentages of head length (HL): posterior 
preopercular ( PP01, PP03, PP04) and anterior preopercular (APOl and AP04), parietal (PA), nuchal (NU), pterotic (PT), 
posttemporal (PST), postorbital (PSO), and first lower infraorbital (LIOl) spines. Lengths of larvae on which measurements 
were made are given as body length (BL). 
BL 
(mm) 
HL 
(mm) 
Stage 
PPOl 
PP03 
PP04 
APOl 
AP04 
PA 
NU 
PT 
PST 
PSO 
LIOl 
4.2 
0.6 
Preflexion 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
4.4 
0.9 
Preflexion 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
5.2 
1.2 
Preflexion 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
6.0 
1.5 
Preflexion 
9.2 
30.3 
5.3 
0 
0 
17.1 
0 
10.5 
0 
2.6 
0 
6.2 
1.6 
Preflexion 
7.8 
20.8 
0 
0 
0 
13.0 
0 
7.8 
0 
3.9 
0 
7.7 
2.8 
Preflexion 
14.1 
29.6 
15.5 
2.8 
8.5 
26.8 
0 
7.0 
1.8 
3.5 
0 
7.7 
3.0 
Postflexion 
13.2 
27.6 
14.5 
5.3 
5.9 
26.3 
3.9 
2.6 
2.6 
3.9 
2.0 
8.4 
2.8 
Postflexion 
14.1 
35.9 
18.3 
5.6 
7.0 
32.4 
2.1 
8.5 
7.7 
4.9 
0 
Head and pectoral girdle spine formation begins 
during the preflexion stage between 5. 2-6.0 mm, with 
the posterior preopercular, parietal, pterotic, and post- 
ocular spines. Posterior preopercular spine PP03 and 
the parietal spine are large (Table 2). Anterior preoper- 
cular spines and a posttemporal spine are added by 
the early postflexion stage (-7.7 mm), and the nuccal 
and first lower infraorbital spine form soon after (Table 
2). The margins of all spines and ridges are smooth 
through the preflexion stage, but by the early postflex- 
ion stage the parietal and supraocular ridges and their 
spines and preopercular spines PP03, PP04, and AP04 
are serrate. By 8.4 mm, the posttemporal spine also is 
weakly serrate. 
The first fin rays to form are the upper pectoral- 
fin rays, by 4.4 mm (Fig. 1A, Table 3). Rays are add- 
ed ventrally, and the full complement of 16-18 rays 
is present by the early postflexion stage. Hypural de- 
velopment begins during the preflexion stage, by 5.2 
mm, and principal caudal-fin rays begin to form late 
during this stage, by 6 mm. The full complement of 
8+7 principal rays is present, and procurrent rays be- 
gin to form by the early postflexion stage (Table 3). 
Soft rays of the dorsal and anal fins are forming by 
early postflexion stage, and all (12-14 and 5-7, re- 
spectively) are present by -7.7 mm. Pterygiophores of 
the dorsal- and anal-fin spines are discernible early 
during the postflexion stage. Dorsal-fin spines begin 
to form slightly later, and anal-fin spines form lat- 
er still (Table 3); full complements of dorsal-fin and 
anal-fin spines were not present in the largest speci- 
men (8.4 mm). 
The principal elements of the larval pigment pattern 
are the presence of melanophores situated anteriorly 
on the lower jaw, dorsally and ventrally on the gut, 
in a single row on the ventral margin of the tail, and 
Table 3 
Counts of fin rays of larval swordspine rockfish ( Sebastes ensifer ) collected in the Southern California Bight 
during the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations survey in April 1999 and Baseline Cow- 
cod Conservation Area (CCA) survey in February 2002. BL=body length. D=dorsal, A=anal, Pi=pectoral, 
P 2 =pelvic, and C=caudal. 
Stage 
BL (mm) 
D 
A 
Pi 
P 2 
Principal C 
Procurrent C 
Preflexion 
4.1 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Preflexion 
4.4 
0 
0 
6 
0 
0 
0 
Preflexion 
5.2 
0 
0 
4 
0 
(hypurals) 
0 
Preflexion 
6.0 
0 
0 
6 
0 
3 + 3 
0 
Preflexion 
6.2 
0 
0 
15 
(buds) 
2 + 2 
0 
Postflexion 
7.7 
11 
8 
18 
1,5 
8 + 7 
1 + 1 
Postflexion 
7.7 
VI, 13 
7 
17 
1,5 
8 + 7 
2 + 2 
Postflexion 
8.4 
XI, 13 
1,7 
16 
1,5 
8 + 7 
2 + 2 
