856 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY - IV. 



spots. Form elevated, profile convex; scales without prominent spino; 

 two or three scapular plates; first dorsal spine rugose, 1^ in muzzle; 

 third dorsal spine well developed. Head^J.} in total length; depth 1 : , ! ; 

 D. III-2G; A. 22. (Cope.) Newport, Rhode Island; a doubtful species 

 (probably strayed from the West Indies). 



(Cope, l-'roc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1870, 120.) 



478. ]JIO]\ ACANTHUS Cuvier. 

 (Ciivicr, Regne Animal, ii, 1817: type Mnnacanthus cklnensis Cuvier.) 



Body short and deep, very strongly compressed, covered with minute, 

 rough scales. Mouth very small; upper jaw with a double series of 

 incisor-like teeth, usually six in the outer and four in the inner series; 

 lower jaw with about six incisors in a single series ; teeth connivent, 

 unequal ; gill-opening a small slit, shorter than the eye, nearly vertical, 

 below the posterior part of the eye, and just in front of upper edge of 

 pectoral. Dorsal spine large or small; second dorsal and anal fins simi- 

 lar to each other, of about 30 rays each; caudal fin moderate, rounded ; 

 pelvic bone with a blunt spine; the bone connected by a movable flap 

 of varying size; side of tail often with a patch of spines, especially in 

 the males; no barbel. Vertebra?. 7 + 11 to 14. Species very numerous 

 in warm seas. (//>?, one; *<zv0a, spine.) 



a. Ventral spine movable; dorsal spine with retrorse barbs. 



b. Abdominal llap greatly developed, extending beyond the ventral spine. 



x. ) 



1321. ITI. occidentals Giinther. 



Brownish, mottled with lighter; a broad brown band across the 

 middle of the ventral llap. Scales very small, without median crest. 

 Spines becoming longer on caudal peduncle, which has in addition 2 

 or 3 pairs of strong spines curved forward, these prominent only in 

 adults; ventral llap longer than head, about length of body. Scales 

 on ventral llap developed as Hat plates, with their free margins pecti- 

 nate. Snout pointed, the upper profile concave. Dorsal spine strong, 

 iwaily as long as head, armed behind with 2 rows of retrorse barbs; 

 ventral spine small, rough. Ilrad 34; depth 1. D. 1-30; A. 30. 

 West Indies; occasional on our southern coasts. 



((Jiiiithcr, viii, 'J:>7.) 



bb. Abdominal llap moderate, nut extending brymid the prlvie spine. (Steplianolcjiix' 

 GilL) 



1322. II. brocciis (Mitch.) l>.-k. />,/-.//*// ; Fil,-fish. 



Dull-greenish, mottled with darker; lins olivaceous, somewhat 



*Gill, J'roc. Acad. Nal. Sci. 1'liila. IfcGl, 78: typo Mvnucaittltuii actifcr lieunett. 

 crown; AeTn'?, scale.) 



