The Threadfishes 



toral with irregular black blotches, the filaments white; ventrals 

 dark, paler on margins. 



The threadfish (P. octonemus) occurs along our South Atlantic 

 and Gulf coasts from New York to the Rio Grande. It is 



rather rare northward, but is more common on the Texas 

 coast. It frequents sandy shores. 



Colour, light olivaceous, tinged with dark punctulations; 

 belly whitish; pectorals pale in the young, black in the adult. 



The young of some species of thread-fish, probably P. octo- 

 nemus, are common along the Texas coast where they are often 

 seen in large numbers in shallow water on sandy bottom. These 

 fishes vary greatly with age, the pectoral filaments becoming 

 much shorter with age. 



P. opcrcularis is an unimportant species found on our Pacific 

 Coast from Cape San Lucas to Panama. It is generally common 

 and reaches only a few inches in length. 



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