Diagnostic characters: distinguished from other pleuronectids without pigment bands by: pigment pattern: continuous dorsal and ventral midline; in preflexion larvae, the anterior melanophores of the dorsal midline series extend laterally; finfold pigment.
Pigment: early and midflexion larvae: dorsal and ventral midline melanophores around tail and in finfold; with development, these melanophores move laterally on body along myoseptal lines; finfold pigment increases to cover anal finfold and posterior half of dorsal finfold; gut pigment increases ventrally with development.
Sequence of fin development: caudal, dorsal and anal, pelvics, pectorals. |