338 The Bass and their Relatives 



In certain species that swim more freely in deep waters; 

 these fins are naked. Among them is the Arnillo, Apsilus 

 dentatus, a pretty brown fish of the West Indies, and its a 

 nalogue in Hawaii, Apsilus brighami, red, with golden cross- 

 bands. Aprion virescens, the Uku of Hawaii, is a large fish of 

 a greenish colorand elongate body, widely diffused through- 

 out Polynesia andone of the best of food-fishes. A related 

 species is the red voraz (Aprion macrophthalmus) of the West 

 Indies. 



Most beautiful of all the group are the species of Etelis, 

 with the dorsal fin deeply divided and the head flattened above. 

 These live in rather deep water about rocky reefs and are fiery 

 red in color. Best known is the Cuban species, Etelis oculatus, 

 the cachucho of the markets. Equally abundant and equally 



FIG. 275. Xenocys jessiae Jordan & Bollman. Family Ltttianidae. 

 Galapagos Islands. 



beautiful is Etelis carbunculus of Polynesia, Etelis evurus of 

 Hawaii, and other species of the Pacific islands. 



Verilus sordidus, the black escolar of Cuba, has the form 

 of Etelis, but the flesh is very soft and the color violet-black, 

 indicating its life in very deep water. Numerous small silvery 

 snappers living near the shore along the coast of western Mexico 

 belong to the genera called Xenichthys, Xenistius, and Xenocys. 

 Xenistius californiensis is the commonest of these species, 

 Xenocys jessia, the largest in size, with black lines like a striped 

 bass. To the genus Dentex belongs a large snapper-like fish of 



