86. SERRANID.E - PROMICROPS. 541 



A. Ill, 9; scales 24-115-52. Gulf of Mexico, north to South Carolina j 

 reaches a weight of 300 pounds. 



(Serranus nigritus Holbrook, Icli. S. C. 1860, 177: Serranus nigritus Gunther, i, 134; 

 Goode & Bean, Proc. U. S. Nat. MIIB. 1878, 182.) 



aa. Pyloric cceca numerous (CO-70). (Hyporthodus* Gill.) 



851. E. niveatus (Cuv. & Val.) Poey. 



Brownish olive ; sides with many large, light blue spots, which are 

 arranged in about 5 transverse rows ; a large quadrangular black spot 

 crossing caudal peduncle above and running down on sides to below 

 the lateral line. Body oblong, compressed, highest forwards; mouth 

 large, oblique, maxillary reaching beyond middle of orbit; lower jaw 

 slightly the longest ; membranes of vertical fins scaled half way up ; 

 second anal spine about as long as third and much stronger ; top of 

 head entirely scaled, except in front of nostrils. Eye large, as long as 

 snout. Head 2; depth 2. D. XI, 14; A. Ill, 9; Lat. 1. about 85. 

 West Indies to Florida ; accidental northward. 



(Serranus niveatus Cuv. & Val. ii, 380 : Serranus niveatus Giinther, i, 130 : Hyporlhodus 

 flavicauda Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1861, 98, from Newport, R. I.) 



** Dorsal spines 9. (Bodianm\ Bloch.) 



852. E. pimctatllS (L.) J. & G. Butter-fish; Nigger-fish; Coney. 



Olivaceous yellow or red, covered with small, round, dark-edged 

 spots of blue ; one or two black spots on the tip of the chin and one 

 on the caudal peduncle ; colors brilliant and variable. Maxillary not 

 reaching posterior margin of eye ; eye 5J in head ; preopercle finely 

 serrate; its lower limb entire; caudal truncate; skull channelled be- 

 tween the eyes, its upper surface smooth. Head 2f . D. IX, 15 ; A. 

 Ill, 9; Lat. 1. 85. Pyloric cosca 8. Vertebrae 10 + 14. (Giinther.) 

 Size small ; flesh soft. West Indies, north to Florida Keys ; abundant. 



(Perca punctata L. Syst. Nat. x, 291, 1758 : Serranus ouatalibi Cuv. & Val. ii, 381, 

 1829 (red variety) : Serranus ouatalibi Giinther, i, 120 : Serranus guativere Cuv. & Val. 

 ii, 383: Serranus carauno Guv. & Val. ii, 383: Enneacentrus punctatus Poey, Rep. Fis.- 

 Nat. Cuba, 1868, 288: Enneacentrus punctatus Goode, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. v, 59.) 



. PROMICROPS am. 



(Gill, MSS. ; Poey, Synopsis Piscium Cubensiuni, 1868, 287 : type Serranus guasa Poey.) 



"This genus has the characters of Epinephelus, except the cranium, 

 which resembles that of Trisotropis by the great interorbital width. 



*Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1861, 98: type Hyportlwdus flavicauda Gill = Str- 

 ranus niveatus juv. (vito, below ; opQo?, straight ; odovS, tooth.) 



t Bloch Ichthyol; Bloch & Schneider, Syst. Ichth. 1801,330: type Bodianus gutiatus 

 Bloch. (From Eodiano, a Portuguese name of various similar fishes.) 



