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Larvae Information Summary for
Merluccius bilinearis
| Main Ref: | Fahay, M. 1983 | |||
Yolk-sac larvae
| max | min | mod | Ref. | |
| Length at birth (mm) | 3.5 | 2.6 | ||
| Preanal L. % TL | 45 | 68 |
| Place of development | planktonic | |||
| Larval area | Mid-Atlantic Bight (Cape Hatteras to Southern Scotian Shelf; Delaware Bay) | |||
| Yolk-sac | pigmented | Ref: | ||
| Yolk | Oil globules | one oil globuleposteriorcentralpigmented | ||
| Rows on tail | no rows | |||
| Other melanophores on tail | two dorso-ventral clusters or bands | |||
| Melanophores on head + trunk | melanophores on head + trunk | |||
| Eyes unpigmented; mouth unformed. Vent opens laterally on finfold (not at margin). Pigmentation: Pigment on oil globule and on yolk near head and gut; scattered head and gut pigment, and 2 bands on tail (one just posterior to vent and the other about midway between vent and tip of tail). | ||||
Post larvae
| Striking feature | none | |||
| Striking shape lateral | normal (not striking) | dorsal | ||
| Striking feature | none | |||
| Shape of gut | triangular | |||
| Gas bladder early | late | |||
| Spinal armature early | no spines | late | no spines | |
| Pigmentation early | ||||
| Rows on tail | no rows | |||
| Other melanophores on tail | more than two dorso-ventral clusters or bands | |||
| Melanophores on head + trunk | melanophores on head | |||
| Pigmentation late | ||||
| Rows on tail | no rows | |||
| Other melanophores on tail | more than two dorso-ventral clusters or bands | |||
| Melanophores on head + trunk | melanophores on head | |||
| Urostyle region early | pigmented | late | pigmented | |
| Peritoneum | with row of melanophores | |||
| Pectorals | normal without melanophores | |||
| Pelvics | normal (i.e. small or absent) without melanophores | |||
| Yolk-sac is absorbed at about 4 mm. Body slender and tapering; head large; finfold between 1st and 2nd dorsal fins disappears by about 12 mm NL. Teeth visible at about 7.5 mm. At 20-25 mm, young assume adult appearance. Pigmentation: 2 tail bands, about equal in intensity vary from distinct spots or bars to dendritic accumulations; spots on snout, crown, nape and peritoneum, and on notochord tip after yolk absorption; dorsal and anal fins unpigmented; pectoral and pelvic fins unpigmented (or rarely lightly pigmented); pelvic fins moderately long; buds formed at about 7 mm NL and fins reach anus at about 10 mm NL; finfold between 1st and 2nd dorsal fins disappears by about 12 mm NL. Sequence of fin formation: caudal (10-11mm); 1st dorsal; pelvic; 2nd dorsal and anal (10-11 mm); pectoral. Larvae settle on the bottom between 17.0 and 20.0 mm NL or larger. | ||||
Meristic characters
| max | min | mod | Ref. | |
| Total number of myomeres | 56 | 54 | 68 |
| L 1st feeding | Ref. | Months of presence of larvae | ||||
| max | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | ||
| min | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | ||
| mod | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
| Water parameters Metric characters |
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