Larvae of the moorish idol, Zanclus cornutus, including a comparison with other larval acanthuroids

The larvae of Zanelus carnutus are described and illustrated based on one postflexion and several preflexion specimens. In addition to general morphology and pigmentation, bony ornamentation of the head bones and other osteological features are described in detail. Head bones and the associated ornamentation are illustrated for larval Zanclus, Siganus, Luvarus and Naso. These and other aspects of the morphology of larval acanthuroids are compared and discussed within the context of a phylogenetic hypothesis proposed in other current work. Larval characters corroborate the monophyly of the Acanthuroidei and the phyletic sequence, Siganidae, Luvaridae, Zanc1idae, Acanthuridae. The Acanthuridae is represented by three distinct larval forms.