Larvae with elongate body, long, straight gut, flat head. In Ichthyococcus ovatus larvae, last section of gut free and hanging from body, ventral portion of pectoral fin greatly prolonged (Ichthyococcus ovatus). Identification of larvae of Vinciguerria species may be based on relative position of dorsal and anal fins, and on caudal pigmentation (Gorbunova, 1981). In Vinciguerria. attenuata origin of anal fin under rays 4-5 of the dorsal fin, under rays 9-11 in Vinciguerria poweriae (Vinciguerria poweriae), under rays 10-11 in Vinciguerria nimbaria. Caudal melanophore in Vinciguerria attenuata and Vinciguerria poweriae located medially on caudal peduncle, ventrally in Vinciguerria nimbaria. Pollichthys mauli larvae resemble those of Vinciguerria, but with dorsal fin more anterior, without overlapping region between dorsal border and anal fin origin. Yarella blackfordi larvae with shorter gut, much pigmentation along the body (Ahlstrom et al., 1984c).
Table Phosichthyidae
22 geographic zones