Two days after hatching (2.5 mm TL), the yolk was mostly absorbed and the oil globule reduced to a negligible size. The mouth and anus opened. The eyes were pigmented. Melanophores appeared midway along the dorsal and ventral portion of both the body and the alimentary canal. Some melanophores were also observed at the ventral side of the tail.
On day 5 (2.80 mm TL), the buds of the second dorsal and ventral spines appeared. The melanophores increased and were almost wholly distributed midway of the body and at the alimentary canal.
On day 7 (3.30 mm TL), the ventral spines began to project out of the finfold.
On day 10 (3.65 mm TL), the second dorsal spine began to project out of the finfold. The ventral spines extended and had some melanophores on their tips.
On day 15 (4.20 mm TL), the first dorsal spine appeared. The second dorsal spine had some melanophores on its tip. The gill arches developed. Many spinelets appeared on the anterior and posterior margins of both the second dorsal and the ventral spines.
On day 20 (6.00 mm TL), the third dorsal spine appeared. The caudal anlage appeared and some caudal rays were shown at the ventral portion of the tail. A long spine developed at the posterior margin of the preoperculum, and a short spine above the orbits. The nares appeared as a single opening. Around this age, the length of the long dorsal spine became nearly identical to that of the ventral spines.
On day 24 (9.87 mm TL), the larvae possessed the adult dorsal (XI,15), ventral (I,5), and anal (III,8) fins. The nares began to constrict at the center. Many melanophores appeared on the surface of caudal peduncle. The dorsal second spine became longer than the ventral spines.
On day 45 (17.0 mm TL), the adult pectral 17 and caudal 21fins are in place. The spines and rays of each fin became differentiated as in the adult. The length of the second dorsal and ventral spines became shorter in comparison to the total body length. The melanophores were well developed on the dorsal surface of the body, and especially on the top of the head and on the operculum.
On day 60 (28.0 mm TL), metamorphosis is completed. The lateral lines were clearly visible. The body pigmentation was accomplished with numerous melanophores distributed all over the body. |