858 CONTRIBUTIONS TO NORTH AMERICAN ICHTHYOLOGY - IV. 



aa. Ventral spine fixed; dorsal spine weak, without barbs; abdominal flap moderate. 

 (Catitltfritx*' 



. -II. pulliis Kan/. 



Coloration variable, generally with a wliitish spot behind the last 

 dorsal ray. Body moderately elevated. Snout moderately produced, 

 Avith the upper profile slightly concave. Posterior margin of eye di- 

 rectly above axil. Adults with two pairs of strong recurved spines 

 on each side of tail; caudal short. Dorsal spine nearly straight, rather 

 shorter than head, without barbs, situated above the front of eye. Skin 

 with a velvety appearance; the scales minute. Depth about 2. D. I- 

 35; A. 31. (G anther.) Tropical Seas, north to Southern Florida. 



(Ranzani, Nov. Comm. Act. Sci. Inst. Bouon. v, 4, IH-1'J: .' Monacanthuu pardalls Riip- 

 pell, N. \V. Fish. 1835, 57: Monaca ntlms pardalls Giiutber, viii, 230.) 



479. ALUTERA Cuvier. 

 File-fislics. 







(Cuvier, Regno Auim. ed. 2, ii, 829, 1829: type HaUntes monoceros Osbeck.) 



Body oblong or rather elongate, strongly compressed, covered with 

 minute, rough scales. Mouth and teeth essentially as in MonacantlmN, 

 but the lower jaw more projecting, so that the lower teeth are directed 

 obli<]uely upward and backward. Gill-opening an oblique slit, longer 

 than eye, situated below and in advance of eye, its posterior end be- 

 hind base of pectorals. Pelvic bone long, falcate, movable under the 

 skin, without spine at its extremity. Dorsal spine small, inserted over 

 the eye, rough, but without barbs; soft dorsal and anal long, each of 

 ;;<;-.">(> rays; caudal fin convex; pectorals small. Species numerous. 

 ('.u/.oumz, unwashed.) 



1326. A. s< ho pili OValb.) Goocle. 



Dull-greenish, marbled with lighter and darker; lower lip dusky. 

 Kve small, about 4 in snout. Gill-slit nearly twice as long as eye, its 

 upper posterior edge nearly under the middle of the eye. Pectoral tins 

 scarcely half longer than eye. Dorsal spine slender; dorsal and anal 

 fins low; caudal very long in the young, becoming shorter in the 

 adult. Scales minute, shagreen-like, uniform over the body. Head 

 :r r ; in length; depth LV\, D. I-I3G; A. 38. L. 1C inches. Cape Cod to 

 Indies; abundant southward. 



xi-lxr/ifli \Viilli.-Miin, Aitcdi, Pise. 1792, 4(>1 : liolixti'it anrantiacus Mitchill, 



Trans. Lit. tV 1'liil. Si.c. N. V. i. It',-. 1-ir, (adult ): Alulrnt itx/,i<-<iti<l<i J>l<ny, Nc\v 

 Y<nk I'.-uma, Fish, l-i-', 338 (\<>iin-): CeratootinthiM aurantiacus Qi\l (adult).) 



* 



Swainscui, Class. I'isli. <! c. ii, :VJ7. 1 -:'.'.!: lyp" I'mitln rii/r* intHittnx ,S\\;iiiisun : Hulix- 

 tcs sandu /./,,,/ -i.-: (,. A. (i. (ttarOo?, ass; piv, snout.) (=Liomo>niainthii8 etc. Bleeker.) 



