T A B L E 2 in Larval stages of the Antarctic dragonfish Akarotaxis nudiceps (Waite, 1916), with comments on the larvae of the morphologically similar species Prionodraco evansii Regan 1914 (Notothenioidei: Bathydraconidae)

T A B L E 2 Morphometric and meristic data of the 14 Akarotaxis nudiceps larvae examined herein, including total length (L T Þ, standard length (L S Þ, notochord length (L N Þ, prepectoral length (L PP Þ, predorsal length (L PD Þ, preanal length (L PA Þ, head length (L H Þ and preorbital length (L PO Þ
VIMS no.StageL TL SL NL PP (% L T)L PD (% L T)L PA (% L T)L H (% L T)L PO (% L T)CP43571aPreflexion10.8–10.12.26 (21.0)0.95 (8.8)5.7 (52.9)2.18 (20.2)0.45 (4.2)Broken19/1943716Preflexion10.9–10.7BrokenBrokenBrokenBrokenBrokenBrokenBroken24545Preflexion11.4–11.02.27 (19.9)1.66 (14.5)5.36 (46.9)2.15 (18.8)0.53 (4.6)BrokenBroken24518Postflexion11.811.3–2.01 (17.1)BrokenBroken1.63 (13.8)0.27 (2.3)Broken9/Broken43571bPreflexion11.8–11.82.44 (20.7)1.01 (8.6)5.69 (48.2)2.28 (19.3)0.6 (5.1)819/1823274Postflexion13.212.6–2.5 (19.0)1.26 (9.6)Broken2.22 (16.9)0.42 (3.2)515/1523177Postflexion13.412.1–2.99 (22.3)2.13 (15.9)6.62 (49.3)2.92 (21.8)0.69 (5.1)1320/2141368Preflexion14.9–14.42.95 (19.9)1.85 (12.4)7.42 (49.9)2.7 (18.2)0.61 (4.1)11Broken/2220913Postflexion17.316.7–3.49 (20.1)2.65 (15.3)8.53 (49.2)3.14 (18.1)0.77 (4.4)1119/1933107Postflexion18.517.2–4.79 (25.8)3.34 (18.0)8.4 (45.3)4.39 (23.7)1.21 (6.5)1521/2143240Postflexion19.217.2–4.15 (21.6)2.84 (14.8)9.04 (47.1)3.94 (20.5)1.13 (5.9)1319/1822788bPostflexion19.517.6–3.77 (19.3)2.14 (11.0)8.22 (42.1)3.24 (16.6)1.06 (5.4)1221/2022690Postflexion19.718.6–4.85 (24.6)2.76 (14.0)9.96 (50.6)4.54 (23.0)1.09 (5.5)1321/2122788aPostflexion22.720.7–4.48 (19.7)2.85 (12.5)9.56 (42.1)4.33 (19.1)1.03 (4.5)1521/21
Note: The stage and number of caudal (C) and pectoral (P) fin rays are also listed.