86. SERRANIDvE TRISOTROPIS. 537 



about 15 on lower part of arch; pectorals rather short, about f the 

 length of the head ; ventrals 2-2 in head ; first 2 dorsal spines very 

 short, the third very high, much higher than any of the others ; second 

 spine one-third to one-fourth length of third, which is longer than 

 snout and orbit; second anal spine as long as third; top of head closely 

 scaled to beyond front of eyes. Head 2f ; depth 3 ; eye less than half 

 the snout. D. X, I, 14 ; A. Ill, 7 ; Lat. 1. 80. L. 18 inches. Coast of 

 California, from Monterey southward ; abundant. 



(Ldbrax nebulifer Girarcl, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1854, 142: Paralabrax nelndlfcr 

 Girard, U. S. Pac. R. R. Surv. x, 33, pi. xii: Paralabrax nebulifer Giinther, i,62; Stein- 

 dO'Chner, Ichthyol. Beitriigo, iii, 1.) 



tt Seme on lower edge of preopercle, large, spur-like, directed forward, (Plectropoma* 

 Cuvier.) 



843. S. cSBioi-Eirus (C. & V.) J. & G. Negrito, 



Color uniform blackish, strongly tinged with violet; pectoral and 

 caudal yellow. Mouth rather large, the maxillary without supplemental 

 bone, extending to the front of the pupil; lower jaw projecting; niue 

 rows of scales on the cheek; preopercle finely serrate above, its lower 

 margin withseveral antrorse teeth. Body elevated, somewhat com- 

 pressed. Pectoral long, extending beyond ventrals ; caudal forked ; sec- 

 ond and third spines of anal about equal. Head 2-f ; depth 2|. D. 

 X, 15 ; A. Ill, 7; Lat. 1. about 65. West Indies, north to Garden Key, 

 Florida. 



(Plectropoma clilorurum Cuv. & Val. Hist. Nat. Poiss. ii, 406, 1828: P. cMorurum 

 Giinther, i, 167: P. chlorurum Vaill. & Boc. Miss. Sci. Mex. iv, 104: Pleclropomanigri- 

 cans Poey, Memorias Cuba, i, 71, 1851: Hypoplectrus niyricans Poey, Synopsis Pise. 

 Cubens. 290.) 



275. TBIOTKOPIS Gill. 



(Parepineplielus Bleeker.) 

 (Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Pbila. 1863, 104: type Perca guttata Bloch.) 



Characters of Epinephelus, except that the lateral crests on the cra- 

 nium are well developed, like the median one. "This genus is recog- 



* 



nizable externally by its oblong form, the peculiar structure of the nos- 

 trils, the form of the fins, etc., but is more especially distinguished by 

 the development of the skull, which differs in a very marked manner 



* Cuvier, Regne Auiui. ii, 142, 1829: type Bodlanus maculatus Blocb. This group 

 has been separated from Serranus on account of the strong autrorse teeth of the lower 

 edge of the preopercle. It has been divided by Professor Gill into several genera, 

 which have been adopted and defined by Professor Poey, but their necessity is not 

 evident. It is at best an artificial group, and some of the current species (P. afrum, 

 etc.) belong to Epineplielus. (7tA.f[xrpov } spur; 7t&,ua operculum.) 



