FishBase
Larvae Information Summary for  Oxyporhamphus micropterus
( not available )

Main Ref: Watson, W. 1996
Yolk-sac larvae
  max min mod Ref.
Length at birth (mm)     3.5 36576
Preanal L. % TL        
Place of development planktonic
Larval area Northeastern Pacific (California Current region); Northwestern Pacific (Japan)
Yolk-sac     pigmented Ref:  
Yolk   Oil globules  
Rows on tail dorsal row
Other melanophores on tail no other melanophores
Melanophores on head + trunk melanophores on head + trunk
Post larvae
Striking feature lower jaw strongly projecting
Striking shape lateral normal (not striking) dorsal  
Striking feature lower jaw strongly projecting
Shape of gut elongated
Gas bladder   early   late  
Spinal armature   early   late  
Pigmentation early
Rows on tail dorsal + ventral + lateral row
Other melanophores on tail no other melanophores
Melanophores on head + trunk melanophores on head + trunk
Pigmentation late
Rows on tail dorsal + ventral + lateral row
Other melanophores on tail tail partly covered with melanophores
Melanophores on head + trunk melanophores on head + trunk
Urostyle region   early pigmented late pigmented
Pectorals normal without melanophores
Pelvics fin rays only without melanophores
Myomeres 29-33 + 17-19 = 48-50; anal fin ray 1 under dorsal fin ray 2-3; pigment on body largely limited to dorsal margin, lateral midline, and ventral margin of tail during larval stage; prominent dorsal and anal fin pigment. Notochord flexion occurs before hatching. Pigmentation: Larvae: dorsally above brain, increasing and spreading forward after 6 mm; internally on brain; on dentary, gular area and gill cover after about 5 mm; on beak after about 9 mm; 2 rows along dorsal margin; dorsolaterally on caudal peduncle after 4 mm; longitudinal series along lateral midline after about 9 mm; 2 rows along ventral margin of tail; heavy dorsal pigment over entire length of gut, spreading ventrad; scattered on yolk sac, condensing onto anterolateral part of gut; usually none ventrally on gut until about 6 mm when it forms anteriorly, then spreads along length of gut by about 10 mm; distal on last 3-5 dorsal and anal fin rays by about 8 mm, spreads forward; scattered along caudal fin rays by about 12 mm. Juvenile: heavy on upper half and all of tail, along full length of dorsal and anal fins. Sequence of fin development: caudal, dorsal and anal, pectorals, pelvics.
Meristic characters
  max min mod Ref.
Total number of vertebrae 50 47   36576
  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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