Larvae of this tropical oceanic group one of the most common gadiforms found in ichthyoplankton samples (Houde, 1981). Larvae characterized by occipital ray in early larval stages, tadpole-like shape. Larvae of most common tropical Atlantic species, Bregmaceros cantori (Bregmaceros cantori) less pigmented than those of B. atlanticus and Bregmaceros macclellandi; with only a few small melanophores on ventral and dorsal surfaces of visceral mass. Occipital ray appears at about 6.5 mm SL (Houde, 1984a).
Table Gadiformes
22 geographic zones