| Short, apposing pigment series posteriorly on tail (remnants of these visible in postflexion larvae); pigment on lower jaw, maxillary, opercular region, and top of head; moderately strong, serrated parietal spines; pelagic juveniles have 5 saddles and black spot on first dorsal fin.
Pigmentation:
Preflexion: initially, dorsally and ventrally on gut, on tip of lower jaw, a short, irregular double row on ventral margin of tail (about postanal myomere 11 to 17); slightly larger larvae develop irregular double dorsal row (about postanal myomere 12 to 17) and some on pectoral fin blade.
Postflexion: by 7.8 mm, over brain, several on lower jaw tip and on anteroventral margin of maxillary, at otic region, several at nape, a shield over gut, a few on ventral midline of gut, several on dorsal and ventral margins of caudal peduncle, on inner surface of pectoral fin base and light on blade, light on pelvic fins; by end of stage, heavy over brain, 1 or 2 on snout, 6-10 in opercular patch, patch on dorsal margin of caudal peduncle (embedded and not visible on ventral margin), 1-4 on lateral midline of caudal peduncle, 3-4 internally above spinal column at caudal peduncle, and decreased on pectoral and pelvic fins.
Pelagic juvenile: more dorsally on head; on snout, premaxillary, and lower jaw; opercular patch larger; posteroventral margin of eye, eventually lining orbit; bar forming posteroventrally below orbit; 3 saddles below first dorsal (nape to 3rd spine, 4th-6th spines, and 8th-11th spines of dorsal fin; pectoral and pelvic fins lack pigment in specimens >21 mm.
Benthic juvenile: strongly mottled.
Sequence of fin development: caudal and pectorals, pelvics, dorsal and anal (Ref. 265). |
