Identification of larvae not possible until quite recently. Important characters for identification are: moderately deep and compressed body with 24 myomeres; large head; early forming teeth in jaws; early forming dorsal-fin spines, becoming elongate, with smooth or serrate margins; extremely elongate pelvic-fin ray 1, longer than pelvic-fin spine; spines or serration on head region, but no supra-occipital crest (Brogan, 1996). According to Watson and Brogan (1996) Hoplopagrus guentherii larvae from the eastern Pacific with elongate second dorsal spine and first pelvic ray. Two melanophores on ventral margin of tail during larval stages. Patch of melanophores on caudal peduncle also visible during transformation stage. Pre-opercular spines along anterior and posterior margins well developed (Hoplopagrus guentherii).
Table Lutjanidae
22 geographic zones