Nomeidae: L III F3

Cubiceps pauciradiatus  Günther, 1872

Longfin fathead

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
720-820	1	190-210	clear	narrow	stern	50% of NL	31

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Egg: These eggs were always seen just prior to hatching, and the striking feature was the dense band of red-brown or chocolate pigment dorsally down the length of the larva (from nose to tail), and on the oil globule, with a few stellate spots on the yolk (A). The yolk has a rough surface. Incubation is 24-28 hours.

Larva: The 1-day larva has pale yellow-brown pigment around the yolksac and oil globule, and down the ventral edge of the notochord (D), which persists to at least day 4 (E). Flexion is complete by 28 days (F).  C: NH, D: 1 day, E: 4 days, F: 28 days, G: 32 days (25°C). Dorsal and anal fincounts for F & G were D X/I 16-18, and A II, 15.

This egg was relatively rare, but hardy, allowing the juvenile in Plate G to be reared from a batch of only 11 eggs. The juvenile in Plate F was reared from a batch of 45 eggs. Three hatched larvae have been barcoded, but no adult sequences are currently available for comparison (BOLD reference).

linked samples	Offshore	Inshore
Eggs	92	2
Hits	12	2

This egg was rarely seen off Park Rynie, mostly in the spring and summer months (blue graph). It was not seen in the DHM samples. The Park Rynie linked samples showed almost all the eggs offshore (98%), consistent with the circum-tropical oceanic habitat of this species. See Section 7.3 and Table 1 of the Introductory Notes, for more information on the linked samples.