88. SPAEID^E DIABASIS. 553 



24. DIABAI Desmarest. 



Red Mouths. 

 (Haimulon Cuvier.) 

 (Desmarest, Premiere Decade Ichth. (1818): type Dl a lasis parra Desm.) 



Body oblong, usually more or less elevated; mouth wide, the maxillary 

 very long, reaching usually to below the eye, its tip extending to the 

 posterior end of the preorbital ; no teeth on voiner or palatines ; teeth 

 of the jaws conical, the outer series stronger, curved ; lips and inside of 

 the mouth commonly bright red in life ; soft parts of the vertical fins 

 completely covered with scales ; a marked angle formed at the junction 

 of the spinous and soft parts of the dorsal ; second anal spine enlarged, 

 generally larger and longer than the third; caudal forked. Species 

 very numerous. (Std^aatq^ a crossing; the allusion not evident.) 



* Sides of the head with blue stripes. 



72. I>. foi'EJflOSias (L.) J. & G. Black Grunts. 



Brownish above, sides lighter; top and sides of head with very many 

 (12 or more) narrow wavy longitudinal lines of dark blue, which do not 

 extend on the trunk ; 6 or more of them on preorbital ; fins dusky, with 

 a more or less apparent bluish tint ; a red blotch at angle of mouth, ex- 

 tending forward on lower lip. Body oblong, compressed and elevated, 

 highest at origin of dorsal fin ; profile very convex to front of eye, 

 where the long, compressed snout forms an angle with it. Eye posterior 

 and high up ; 2 in snout, 4 in head. Mouth large ; maxillary reaching 

 front of orbit. Snout with a few^ scattered scales. Second anal spine 

 much enlarged. Head 2f ; depth 2|. I). XII, 17 ; A. Ill, 9 ; Lat. 1. 55. 

 South Atlantic coast of the United States and southward. 



(Ptrca formosa Linn. Syst. Nat. : Hcemulon formosum Giinther i, 305: Haimulon arcu- 

 atum Cu\. & Val. ix, 481: Hcemulon arcuatum Holbrook, Ich. S. C. IbtiO, 124.) 



** Sides of head without blue stripes. 

 a. Body not striped. 



873. D. cSirysopterws (Linn.) J. & G. 



Light brown above ; sides brilliantly silvery ; mouth red posteriorly, 

 white in front. Body with general form of preceding, but the back less 

 elevated, the profile being nearly straight. Scales of the pectoral region 

 not larger than the others. Head 2|; depth 2f. D. XIII, 14; A. Ill, 

 10 ; Lat. 1. about 55. (Holbrook.) West Indies, north to South Carolina. 



(Perca chrysoptera Linn. Syst. Nat. : Haimulon chrysopterum Giinther, i,313: Hcemulon 

 chrysopterum Holbrook, Ich. S. C. 1860,121.) 



aa. Body striped or banded. 



