Peculiarities of Early Ontogenesis of Nose Char (N1-form), Endemic Lacustrine and Riverine Form of Salvelinus malma Complex (Salmonidae), of the Lake Kronotskoe (Eastern Kamchatka, Russia)

Abstract

The growth, order of anlage, and features of transitive stages of skeletal elements (cranial bones and serial structures: teeth, gill rakers, fin rays, pterigyophores, vertebrae muscles, predorsalia, and scales) in were studied in pre-larvae, larvae, and fingerlings of the nose char (N1-form), endemic lakustrine-riverine form of the Dolly varden Salvelinus malma complex of the Lake Kronotskoe, reared in the laboratory at a constant temperature. A comparative analysis of the early ontogenesis of sympatric species of nose char and white char of the Lake Kronotskoe evidences on a high similarity in the growth rate and development of the two forms, differing by the body length of free embryos and the larvae coloration.