ONTOGENIC LARVAL CHARACTERS OF 3 LEIOGNATHID SPECIES IN KAGOSHIMA BAY, SOUTHERN JAPAN

A total of 13,597 leiognathid larvae collected from 303 larval net col lections in Kagoshima Bay during October 1983 and October 1990 were ex amined and sorted into three species. The larvae of Leiognathus rivula tus (12,677 specimens, 1.2-5.6 mm SL) and L. nuchalis (420 specimens, 1.1-4.4 mm SL) were distinguished from each other mainly by the follow ing characters: in larvae less than about 3.0 mm SL, elongated (L. riv ulatus) or dot- or wedge-shaped (L. nuchalis) melanophores along the v entral contour of the tail; in larvae larger than about 3.0 mm SL, pre sence (L. nuchalis) or absence (L. rivulatus) of melanophores on the h ead above the eye. Larvae of the third species (500 specimens, 1.0-3.5 mm SL) were easily recognised by the presence of a melanophore at the symphysis of the lower jaw, being tentatively classified as L. elonga tus owing to their morphological similarity to the genus Leiognathus a nd the common occurrence of adult L. elongatus in Kagoshima Bay.