title: Postembryonic staging of wild-type goldfish, with brief reference to skeletal systems.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Artificial selection of postembryonic features is known to have established morphological variation in goldfish (Carassius auratus). Although previous studies have suggested that goldfish and zebrafish are almost directly comparable at the embryonic level, little is known at the postembryonic level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Here, we categorized the postembryonic developmental process in the wild-type goldfish into 11 different stages. We also report certain differences between the postembryonic developmental processes of goldfish and zebrafish, especially in the skeletal systems (scales and median fin skeletons), suggesting that postembryonic development underwent evolutionary divergence in these two teleost species.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our postembryonic staging system of wild-type goldfish paves the way for careful and appropriate comparison with other teleost species. The staging system will also facilitate comparative ontogenic analyses between wild-type and mutant goldfish strains, allowing us to closely study the relationship between artificial selection and molecular developmental mechanisms in vertebrates.
authors: Laboratory of Aquatic Zoology, Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Yilan, Taiwan.
authors: Ing-Jia
authors: IJ
authors: Li
authors: Laboratory of Aquatic Zoology, Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Yilan, Taiwan.
authors: Chun-Ju
authors: CJ
authors: Chang
authors: Laboratory of Aquatic Zoology, Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Yilan, Taiwan.
authors: Shi-Chieh
authors: SC
authors: Liu
authors: Laboratory of Aquatic Zoology, Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Yilan, Taiwan.
authors: Gembu
authors: G
authors: Abe
authors: Laboratory of Aquatic Zoology, Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Yilan, Taiwan.
authors: Kinya G
authors: KG
authors: Ota
mesh_terms: D058500:Animal Fins / Q000254:growth & development*; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D006054:Goldfish / Q000254:growth & development*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012867:Skin / Q000254:growth & development*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000254:growth & development
keywords: artificial selection; domestication; morphology; ontogeny; phylogeny