Larvae Information Summary for
Menticirrhus saxatilis
| Main Ref: | Scotton, L.N., R.E. Smith, N.S. Smith, K.S. Price and D.P. de Sylva 1973 | |||
Yolk-sac larvae
| min | max | mod | Ref. | |
| Length at birth (mm) | 2 | 2.5 | ||
| Preanal L. % TL |
| Place of development | planktonic | |||
| Larval area | Delaware Bay | |||
| Yolk-sac | spherical | Ref: | ||
| Yolk | Oil globules | |||
| Rows on tail | lateral row | |||
| Other melanophores on tail | no other melanophores | |||
| Melanophores on head + trunk | melanophores on head + trunk | |||
| At hatching, head is deflected. Yolk almost completely absorbed four days after hatching (length about 2.7 mm). At 3.7 mm, head is large and deep; line of melanophores extending from ventral surface of gut dorsally, around cleithrum and then mid-laterally towards tail. | ||||
Post larvae
| Striking feature | none | |||
| Striking shape lateral | other | dorsal | ||
| Striking feature | none | |||
| Shape of gut | triangular | |||
| Gas bladder early | late | |||
| Spinal armature early | late | |||
| Pigmentation early | ||||
| Rows on tail | ventral + lateral row | |||
| Other melanophores on tail | no other melanophores | |||
| Melanophores on head + trunk | melanophores on head + trunk | |||
| Pigmentation late | ||||
| Rows on tail | ventral + lateral row | |||
| Other melanophores on tail | no other melanophores | |||
| Melanophores on head + trunk | melanophores on head + trunk | |||
| Urostyle region early | unpigmented | late | unpigmented | |
| Peritoneum | without melanophores | |||
| Pectorals | normal | |||
| Pelvics | normal (i.e. small or absent) | |||
| At 4.5 mm, most pigmentation lost from gut; mid-lateral and ventral series still present; depth of head greater in proportion to SL than at 10 mm and larger. At 5.0 mm, nearly all soft dorsal and anal rays present. At 10.0 mm, full complement of fin rays present; body covered by melanophores as is spinous dorsal (Ref. 40810). | ||||
| L 1st feeding | Ref. | Months of presence of larvae < >Ref. | ||||
| max | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | ||
| min | 2.7 | 13501 | May | Jun | Jul | Aug |
| mod | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
| Water parameters Metric characters |