Champsodontidae: L II B1
Champsodon capensis Regan, 1908.
Gaper
|
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 |
|
985-1060 |
1 |
170-200 |
clear |
narrow |
stern |
49% of NL |
ca. 33 |
Egg: When seen at 24 hours incubation, the egg has a yellow tint, and a clear to pale amber oil globule (A). The yolk has a rough surface. The egg lacks pigment except for a few black dots on the oil globule. One day later, black blotches have developed on the oil globule, and on the embryo's snout, behind the eyes, scattered dorsally on the notochord post-anus, and ventrally near the notochord tip (B). At this stage, the peculiar opercular appendage can usually be seen, with a black tip. Incubation is about 48 hours (22-23°C).
Larva: The distribution of black pigment in the early larva is clearly shown (C), with the opercular appendages easily seen (black arrow). C: 2 days, D: 4 days (22-23°C).
No attempt was made to rear this larva because the opercular appendage was so distinctive. Two hatehed larvae have been barcoded, matching 5 adults collected locally (BOLD reference).
| Linked samples | Offshore | Inshore |
| Eggs | 14 | 2 |
| Hits | 12 | 2 |
This egg was uncommon off Park Rynie, having been seen on only 24 occasions, through a wide range of times in the year, though mostly in winter (blue graph). Being a deepwater species (Heemstra, 1986a), it is likely that the eggs are usually seen as a result of a gyre ( known as the Natal Pulse) pulling deep water up onto the shelf (see Introductory Notes, Section 3.4.2 for more information on the Natal Pulse). Annual collection of the egg off Park Rynie has shown no particular pattern (white graph). The egg was not seen in the DHM samples. The Park Rynie linked samples had more eggs offshore (88%). Numbers are too low to be reliable, but this does fit the known distribution of this deepwater species. See Section 7.3 and Table 1 of the Introductory Notes, for more information on the linked samples.