A megapterygium larva of Discoverichthys praecox (Aulopiformes: Ipnopidae) from the tropical western Pacific

• Published in: Ichthyological research Vol. 54; no. 3; pp. 262 - 267
• Main Authors: Okiyama, M.(Marine Ecology Research Inst., Tokyo (Japan)), Tominaga, Y, Ida, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Springer Nature B.V 01.08.2007
• Subjects: ALETAS (PEZ); ANATOMIA ANIMAL; ANATOMIE ANIMALE; ANIMAL MORPHOLOGY; Aulopiformes; Discoverichthys praecox; FINS; Fish; FISH LARVAE; IDENTIFICACION; IDENTIFICATION; IPNOPIDAE; LARVAS DE PECES; LARVE DE POISSON; Marine; NAGEOIRE; PACIFICO CENTRO-OCCIDENTAL; PACIFIQUE CENTRE-OUEST; Pigmentation; Surface water; WESTERN CENTRAL PACIFIC; AN, North Atlantic; IS, Tropical Pacific; IN, North Pacific
• ISSN: 1341-8998; 1616-3915
• DOI: 10.1007/s10228-007-0399-x

The larva of Discoverichthys (Aulopiformes: Ipnopidae) is described for the first time based on a specimen 39.5mm in standard length collected in surface waters near the Marianas in the western North Pacific. Despite its remote location from the previous record in eastern North Atlantic (type locality), this larva was identified as Discoverichthys praecox by general agreements of meristic counts and other morphological features. It is characterized by the following possible autapomorphic features: body moderately elongate, with uniformly distended abdomen, terminating in long, stout trailing gut; all fins, particularly the pectoral and pelvic, are extensively produced; body pigmentation is scanty, but all fins except the caudal are polka-dotted distally and covered by unusually thick skin; the skeleton is largely cartilaginous, with poorly differentiated axial components and uniquely expanded dorsal- and anal-fin pterygiophores. Its peculiar morphology is discussed with special reference to transformation events.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]