Abstract
This paper describes the development of larvae and juveniles of the torrent catfish, Liobagrus reini, collected from the upper stream of the Koishiwara River, a branch of the Chikugo River, in August 2008. The males were guarding the eggs at the spawning site. Sixty-nine eggs were present in one egg batch, and the egg diameters ranged from 3.5 to 3.8 mm (mean±SD, 3.6±0.1 mm). The newly hatched larvae had a total length (TL) of 6.8 mm, a pair of barbells on the upper jaw, and a pair of rudimentary pectoral fins. At this stage, the mouth had opened and the notochord flexion had already begun. After 4 days (TL, 8.4 mm), a pair of rudimentary pelvic fins had formed. After 6 days, (TL, 9.6 mm), the pectoral, dorsal, and anal fin ray complements were completed. After 14-15 days, (TL, 13.2-14.4 mm) the yolk was absorbed. After 16 days, (TL, 14.6 mm), the number of caudal fin rays became fixed. The diameters of the eggs were bigger than those of the eggs of the catfish such as Silurus asotus, S. biwaensis, S. lithophilus, Pseudobagrus tokiensis, P. aurantiacus, P. nudiceps and P. ichikawai.
