86. SERRANID/E RHYPTICUS. 543 



279. RHYPTICUS Cuvicr. 



Soap-fishes, 



r, Regne Anim. ii, 1829: type Anthias saponaceus Bloch & Schneider.) 



Body oblong ,compressed, covered with small, smooth embedded scales. 

 Mouth oblique, rather large, the lower jaw prominent, the maxillary 

 with a supplemental bone, reaching to or beyond the pupil; preorbital 

 rather narrow; no canines; broad bands of villiform teeth on jaws, 

 vomer, and palatines. Preopercle crescent-shaped, without angle or 

 serratures, tts margin with spinous teeth above. Opercle with spines. 

 Dorsal fin with two or three low stout spines, sometimes separated by 

 a notch from the soft rays ; anal fin without spine, or with an embedded 

 rudiment; caudal fin rounded behind. Ventrals small. Pectorals short 

 and rounded. Tropical seas, (pu-ruoq^ washing; from the u soapy" 

 skin.) 



a. Dorsal spines 2, more or less connected with the soft rays. (Promicropterus* Gill.) 



855. R. maculalus Holbr. 



Olive brown above, with scattered whitish spots; below pale slate 

 color. Back regularly arched from snout to caudal fin. Mouth large, 

 maxillary extending beyond orbit; lower jaw longer than upper, and 

 projecting much beyond it in closed mouth. Preopercle with 2 stout 

 spines; opercle with 3. Pectorals rather large. Vertical fins high. 

 Dorsal spines slightly connected with the soft rays. Head 3; depth 3. 

 D. II, 25; A. 15. North Carolina to the West Indies. 



(Holbrook, Ich. S. C. L8CO, 42; Gunther, i, 173.) 



856. R. decoraiws (Gill) J. & G. 



Brownish, irregularly maculated with light spots about as large as 

 the pupil, these generally with a blackish centre; the spots are some- 

 times confluent and are most numerous on the sides. Eye equal snout, 

 5| in length of head. Head 3; depth 3. D. II, 26; A. 16. Tropical 

 seas; accidental at Newport, K. I. (Gill.) 



(Promicropterus decoratus Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. ScL Phila. 186:3, 164. 



857. R. pimitosus Goode & Beau. 



Very light brown, with numerous small brown spots; the diameter of 

 the largest, one- third that of eye; these absent on abdomen and throat; 

 traces of light margins to the vertical fins. Upper jaw nearly reaching 



* Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1861, 53 : type Bhypticus maculatus Holbr. 

 (itpo, before; /uzK/aoS, small; mepov, fin.) 



