Cirrhitidae: K III B2

Cyprinocirrhites polyactis (Bleeker, 1875)

Swallowtail hawkfish

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
720-840	1	145-170	clear	Moderate to narrow	bow	50-54% of NL	28-30

Egg: It is curious how many of the eggs in this KIII group have a slightly widened PVS, and oval oil globule; this is another of them. At an advanced development stage, this egg can be separated by the wide red/black pigment in a dark band on the embryo, except from LIIIF3, in which the pigment is more intense. The oil globule, which may be round or oblong, and clear to light amber, is also darkened by black pigment. Incubation is 30-35 hours.

Larva: The dark band of pigment down the ventral edge of the notochord, and moderately long gut (B & C), identify this larva. The finfolds are clear and slightly rough (goose pimpled). At 4 days, the dark line of pigment has become darker (D). B: 2 days, C: 3 days, D: 4 days, (22°C).

Attempts to rear this egg were unsuccessful. Four larval DNA sequences are available, which match 2 adult C. polyactis collected locally. But 2 eggs collected in August 2007 yielded a match with the wrasse Anampses lineatus. Notes at the time of collection indicated the larva was not as darkly pigmented ventrally along the length of the notochord, and probably should have been assigned to KIIIB8.

This egg was seen throughout the year off Park Rynie (blue graph). It was not seen in the DHM samples. At Park Rynie, the egg has shown a variable presence, after being virtually absent in the first 4 years (white graph). In the Park Rynie linked samples, the eggs were fairly evenly distributed inshore and offshore, indicating spawning around the 30m contour. See Section 7.3 and Table 1 of the Introductory Notes, for more information on the linked samples.

Linked samples	Offshore	Inshore
Eggs	133	121
Hits	34	22