52 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 
8. Centropomus ensiferus. 
Centropomus undecimalis (part.), Giinth. Cat. Fish. i. p. 79 (1859) °. 
Centropomus ensiferus, Poey, Mem. Cuba, ii. p. 122, t. 12. fig. 1 (1860)*; Giinth. Trans. Zool. Soc. 
vi. 1868, p. 408°; Vaill. & Boc. Miss. Sci. Mex., Poiss. p. 83 (1874) *; Steind. Denkschr. 
Ak. Wien, xxxix. 1878, p. 21°; Jord. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. ix. 1886, p. 89°; Jord. & 
Everm. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. xlvii. 1896, p. 11257. 
Centropomus affinis, Steind. Sitzb. Ak. Wien, xlix. i. 1864, p. 200, t. 1. fig. 1°; Waill. & Boc. Miss. 
Sci. Mex., Poiss. p. 31, t. 1. fig. 1°. 
Centropomus scaber, Bocourt, Ann. Sc. Nat. (5) ix. 1868, p. 90°°. 
Centropomus ensiferus (part.), Bouleng. Cat. Fish. i. p. 370 (1895) ”. 
Depth of body 33-4 in the length, length of head 23-23. Snout 14-2 as long as eye, the diameter of which 
is 6-8 in the length of head; interorbital width about 8 in the length of head. Maxillary extending to 
below anterior or nearly to middle of eye, its greatest width 1-2 the diameter of eye. Preorbital 
sharply serrated posteriorly ; preoperculum acutely serrated, the serra enlarged at the angle; pra- 
opercular ridge with 1 or 2 spines at the angle. Opercular flap extending to or a little beyond the 
vertical from origin of dorsal. 17-19 gill-rakers, including 3 or 4 rudiments, on the lower part of 
anterior arch. 52-58 scales in a longitudinal series, 54-64 between middle of second dorsal and lateral 
line. Dorsal VIII, 110; spines moderately strong, the third or fourth the longest, 2 2-1 the length of 
head, Anal III 6; third spine 3-4 as long as the second, which is -? the length of the fish. Pectoral 
3 the length of head. Ventrals extending nearly to the vent, which is situated at 2 of the distance from 
base of ventral spine to origin of anal. Caudal peduncle 14-14 as long as deep. Silvery, back brownish ; 
lateral line not blackish; spinous dorsal and membrane “between second and third anal spines usually 
blackish. 
Hab. Atlantic Coasts of Tropical America, entering rivers: 
British Honduras, Belize }?1°1! (Salvin). —Cuba?; Jamaica!; Trinidad; 
British Guiana!®™; Rio Janeiro®; Cajutuba ®. 
Here described from five specimens from Belize, Trinidad, and Jamaica, 200-280 mm. 
in total length. 
9. Centropomus armatus. 
Centropomus armatus, Gill, Proc. Ac. Philad. 1863, p. 163'; Jord. & Everm. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. 
xlvii. 1896, p. 1123°; Gilb. & Starks, Mem. Calif. Ac. Sci. iv. 1904, p. 92, t. 13. fig. 26°. 
Centropomus brevis, Giinth. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 145° 
Centropomus ensiferus (part.), Bouleng. Cat. Fish. i. p. 869 (1895) °. 
Centropomus atridorsalis, Regan, Ann. Mag. N. H. (7) xii. 1903, p. 627°. 
Depth of body 3-4 in the length, length of head 22-23. Snout 13-2 as long as eye, the diameter of which is 
6—74 in the length of head ; interorbital width 7 in the length of head. Maxillary extending to below 
middle of eye or beyond, its greatest width 3-4 the diameter of eye. Preorbital strongly serrated 
posteriorly ; preeoperculum acutely serrated, with 2 or 3 strongly enlarged serre at the angle; pre- 
opercular ridge with 1 or 2 spines at the angle. Opercular flap extending a little beyond the vertical 
from origin of dorsal. 13-15 gill-rakers, including 2 or 3 rudiments, on the lower part of anterior arch. 
50-56 scales in a longitudinal series, 7-84 between middle of second dorsal and lateral line. Dorsal 
VIII, 110; spines strong, the third often slightly longer than the fourth, 2-3 the length of head. 
Anal IIT 6 (exceptionally 7); third spine 2-4 as long as the second, which is 2-4 “the length of the fish. 
Pectoral 2 the length of head. Ventrals extending to the vent, which is situated at about #2 of the 
distance from base of ventral spine to origin of anal. Caudal peduncle 14-13 as long as deep. ‘Silvery, 
