| none |
| normal (not striking) |
tadpole-like |
| none |
| elongated |
| |
|
| |
|
| lateral row |
| two dorso-ventral clusters or bands |
| melanophores on head + trunk |
| dorsal + ventral + lateral row |
| more than two dorso-ventral clusters or bands |
| melanophores on head + trunk |
| normal without melanophores |
| normal (i.e. small or absent) melanophores at fin base |
| At 9.5-10.0 mm, head is oval, snout blunt, small oblique vertical mouth, small round eyes. Caudal fin rays present and finfold remains and is especially large ventrally. Rows of melanophores on laterals are present and two dark spots on the caudal fin base and a band of melanophores present from the snout to the operculum.
From 11.0 mm onwards, the body deepens and the head becomes triangular. Rays are present in all fins except the pectorals. Regularly spaced dark spots on the dorso-lateral surface of the entire body and clusters of melanophores on its ventro lateral surface are present. The horizontal band of melanophores anteriorly to the eye is large, and the adipose fin becomes deep black except its unpigmented center. All fins are mostly unpigmented except some melanophores at the base of the dorsal, caudal, anal, and pelvic fins.
At 14.0 mm, the body and head shapes are similar but the rays of the pectoral fins are completed and regularly spaced clusters of melanophores cover most of the body. A thin line of melanophores remains on the anal fin base and along the first ray of the dorsal fin.
At 19.0 mm, juveniles present the characteristic diamond body shape and the pattern of melanophores of the adult. |
