Holocentridae: E III B6A

Myripristis berndti Jordan & Evermann, 1903

Bigscale soldier

Egg diameter in µm

Number of oil globules

Diameter of oil globule in µm

Yolk texture

Perivitelline space

Position of oil globule at hatch

Gut length   at eye- pigment stage

Myomeres

700

1

190

segmented

narrow

bow

44% of NL

29-30

Egg: The orange tint to the oil globule and developing embryo in this egg is unmistakable. Incubation is about 24 hours.

Larva: The newly hatched larva shows no pigment, but for the diffuse orange of the egg (C). But a pattern rapidly develops, including white pigment in the finfolds (D & F), and black pigment discretely positioned from nose to tail (E). (C): NH, D & E: 1 day, F: 3 days (25°C).

Despite its unique colours, this egg was not recorded until 1995, the 9th year of collecting. A single larva hatched from this egg, has been barcoded (BOLD), and matches 8 locally collected adult Myripristis berndti. Confirmation awaits further larval barcodes, and positive identification of adult vouchers in SAIAB, as I have had difficulty separating adults of M murdjan and M. berndti.

Linked samples

Offshore

Inshore

Eggs

199

51

Hits

11

17

The limited amount of data indicates a summer spawner, with eggs seen from November to February (blue graph). The egg was not seen in the DHM samples. The Park Rynie linked samples had 80% offshore, indicating spawning in the same area as kob and geelbek. See Section 7.3 and Table 1 of the Introductory Notes, for more information on the linked samples..