35 



The Bass and their Relatives 



are elongate fishes common in the Mediterranean. Other Med- 

 iterranean forms are Spondyliosoma cantharus, Oblata melanura, 

 etc. Girella nigricans is the greenfish of California, every- 

 where abundant about rocks to the south of San Francisco, 

 and of considerable value as food. Almost exactly like it 

 is the Mejinadai (Girella punctata) of Japan. The best-known 

 members of this group belong to the genus Kyphosus. Kyphosus 

 sectatrix is the rudder-fish, or Chopa blanca, common in the 

 West Indies and following ships to the northward even as far 

 as Cape Cod, once even taken at Palermo. It is supposed 

 that it is enticed by the waste thrown overboard. Kyphosus 

 elegans is found on the west coast of Mexico, Kyphosus tahmel 

 in the East Indies and Polynesia, and numerous other species 

 occur in tropical America and along the coasts of southern 

 Asia. Sectator ocyurus is a more elongate form of rudder-fish, 

 striped with bright blue and yellow, found in the Pacific. 

 Medialuna californiensis is the half -moon fish, or medialuna, 

 of southern California, an excellent food-fish frequently taken 

 on rocky shores. Numerous related species occur in the Indian 

 seas. 



Fossil fragments in Europe have been referred to Boops, 

 Spondyliosoma, and other genera. 



FIG. 28Sa. Blue-green Sunfish, Apomotes cyanellus (Rafinesque) . 



(After Kellogg.) 



Kansas River. 



