Early morphological development of the laboratory-reared brown croaker, Miichthys miiury (Basilewsky):fin differentiation, head dimensions and squamation
During the stage of development occuring within the first 12-d old (<4.2 mm TL), we noted that a fin-fold existed around the body the caudal fin apperared rounded, and lacked scales. From 12- to 44-d old (4.0-25.9 mm TL), the dorsal, anal, and pectoral fin rays were had been almost completed from 12-d old, and segmentation occurred between 26- and 37-d old. Elongation of the middle rays of the caudal fin was intially observed at 32-d old (>9.2 mm TL), and a remarkable amount of elongation occurred beginning at 37-d old (15.9 mm TL). Scales began to develop from the midlateral lines at 11.7 mm tL (29-d old), eventually encompassing the entire operculum (44-d old). All head dimensions were largely stabilized at >8 mm TL (30-d old). In the 68-d old, thed caudal fin was initially lanceolated (50.7 mm TL). The results of this study may prove helpful in larval production, and may also facilitate enhancements in the proportion of juvenile survivors in this species.