Lampriformes: Trachipteridae: H I A2

Zu cristatus (Bonelli, 1820)

Scalloped ribbonfish

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
2065-2330	0	n/a	clear	narrow	n/a	53% of NL	Ca 80

Egg: This egg has only been seen on four occasions in 25 years. The newly collected egg is illustrated in Plate A (arrowed, alongside a further advanced, spiky egg of CHIA1). No pigment was noted on the tiny embryo within the egg, but there were scattered black pigment spots on the yolk surface 4 days later, more dense near the embryo (A1). Incubation is at least 10 days (23°C).

Larva description: The newly hatched larva has unpigmented eyes, with long dorsal and pelvic fin elements (B). Myomere split was 24 + 56.  A1: 4 days PC, B: NH, D 13 days PC, 2 days post hatch (23°C).

The most recent egg, collected in July 2008, had a lower myomere count of 65 (see box data above), and the hatched larva (Plate D) has been barcoded, matching Zu cristatus from New Zealand (DSLAR565-09 in BOLD). This suggests there might be at least two species in this egg catagory, and that the larva in Plate B is not Zu. Two of the 4 eggs were collected in November, 1 in February and 1 in July.