Mycteroperca 



r. Gill-rakers rather few, #4-12; body without dark cross-bars. 



5. Scales very small, about 20-140-37; caudal not deeply lunate, eye 



small bower si, 394 



ss. Scales larger, about 90 to 100 in lateral line; caudal deeply lunate; 



eye larger calliura, 394 



rr. Gill-rakers very few, short and thick, about x-\-6] body with light 



and dark cross-bars. 



/. Ground colour dark olive tigris, 394 



//. Ground colour bright red camelopardalis, 395 



The species of this genus are very numerous and most of them 

 very closely related. While all are excellent for food, the scarcity of 

 some and the distance of others from a market leave but few that are 

 of great importance as food-fishes. So many of the species are so 

 closely related that detailed descriptions hardly seem necessary. The 

 key given above will usually be found sufficient for the identification 

 of any of the known species. 



Mycteroperca boulengeri is a small species known only from 

 Mazatlan, where it is rather common in the astillero. It reaches 15 

 inches in length, is olive-gray in color, covered everywhere with 

 irregular oblong black markings. 



M. venenosa, the yellow-fmned grouper, rockfish, or bonaci de 

 piedra, occurs from the Florida Keys and the Bahamas southward 

 among the West Indies. It is a large, handsome fish, reaching 3 feet 

 in length, and is reputed poisonous. In life it is a clear olive-green, 

 livid blue or pearly below; upper parts everywhere with broad reticu- 



391 



