Description of the post larva of star pipefish, Halicampus punctatus (Syngnathidae, Gasterosteiformes) first found in the southwestern East Sea, Korea

Abstract

Larval specimens of Halicampus punctatus were collected off Ulsan and Uljin in December 2002 (three specimens) and off Ulsan in December 2003 (one specimen). These specimens are characterized by the following morphological characteristics: rings, 14 + 35 = 49; subdorsal rings, 1 + 3 = 4; dorsal fin rays, 19 - 20; pectoral fin rays, 14 - 15; anal fin rays, 9; head length (HL), 5.8 - 6.7 in the standard length; snout length, 1.9 in HL; snout depth, 3.7 - 5.2 in snout length. The number of caudal fin rays 9 is less than those of the other species in the same genus 10. Wide stripe bands composed of small pigments are shown in the trunk and the tail. Melanophores are not found in the dorsal fin, the pectoral fin, and the anal fin except the caudal fin. The supraoccipital crest is on the head. The frontal ridge is on the dorsal side of front trunk. The blanched ridges on the opercular are fused with a main ridge like a tree branch. A few branched ridges that are small and narrow on the trunk and the tail are fused with the main ridges. We report these specimens as the first record in Korea and name them 'Byeol-sil-go-ki' in Korean.