| Myomeres 26(9-10+16-17 through early flexion stage, shifting to 12+14); dorsal fin and pelvic fin spines smooth, third dorsal spine elongate; pointed supraoccipital crest becoming low serrate ridge by 11-12 mm; interopercular spine 60-80% length of longest preopercular spine by postflexion stage; melanophore series over notochord; dorsal blotch below second dorsal fin in postflexion stage.
Pigmentation:
Preflexion: Prominent blotch on tip of lower jaw; 2-few internally over hindbrain; anteriorly and dorsally on gas bladder and gut; 0-1 ventrally at anus; internally over notochord at about myomeres 11-13 by 4.2-4.5 mm; 6-10 ventrally on last half of tail; 1-2 caudal; 0-few distally on pelvic fin.
Flexion: Notochord series extends from myomeres 8-10 through 16-17 by end of stage; ventral margin series decreases to 2-3.
Postflexion: Over midbrain by 6.6 mm, increasing and spreading over forebrain by 7.7 mm; internal dorsal patch at level of dorsal fin ray 5-11 by 7.4-7.7 mm, few externally in same area by 9.9 mm; few adjacent to some dorsal fin spines by 12.4 mm.
Sequence of fin development: first dorsal fin and pelvic fin; principal caudal fin rays and anal fin, second dorsal fin, pectoral fin, procurrent caudal fin rays. |