Mooneyes hatch at about 7 mm total length as protolarvae with neither the stomodeum nor pectoral fin buds evident. They transform to the mesolarval phase between 12 and 13 mm while still retaining a considerable amount of yolk and most of their large anterior oil globule. The protolarvae possess about 54 myomeres, 30 anterior to the posterior margin of the vent. Snout to vent length is about 64% and snout to dorsal finfold origin length over 50% of the total length. Melanophore distribution remains essentially the same through most of the phase with melanophores scattered over the large yolk sac and in a continuous line along the dorsal surface of the intestine, midventrally posterior to the vent, around the end of the notochord, and middorsally towards the future insertion of the dorsal fin. In contrast to mooneye, goldeye, Hiodon alosoides, protolarvae have approximately four to eight additional postanal myomeres and lack melanophores on all surfaces posterior to the vent except occasionally along the base of the future anal fin.
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