NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 441 



Naucrates noveboracensis Cuv. et Val. 



" indicus Cuv. et Val. 



" koelreuteri Cuv. et Val. 



" ductor Sivainson. 



" cyanophrys Swains. 



" serratus Swains. 

 Thynnus pompilus Gronov. ( Gray ed. ) 



Young ivith dorsal spines connected. 

 Seriola dussiiniieri Cuv. et Val. 

 " suecincta Cuv. et. Val. 



Young with spinous dorsal Jin and preopercidar spines. 

 Nauclerus compressus Cuv. et Val. 



" abbreviatus Cuv. et Val. 



" brachycentrus Cuv. et Val. 



" triacanthus Cuv. et Val. 



" annularis Cuv. et Val. 



" leucurns Cuv. et Val. 

 The above synonymy has been given on the authority of Dr. Giinther as 

 far as the union of the forms described under the generic name of Nau- 

 crates are concerned ; the Serioke and Naucleri added to it are young fishes of 

 this genus, and if all the forms referred to Naucrates belong to one species, 

 the Seriolse and Naucleri are doubtless the young of that single species. 

 Much doubt is however entertained as to the correctness of this union of so 

 many species. If aught may be judged from the examination of single spe- 

 cimens, the species of the Mediterranean sea differs from a Pacific one* of 

 nearly the same size, by the higher body, the shorter head, the smaller eye, 

 the ecarinate forehead, and especially the breadth of the lingual band of 

 teeth, which is about three times as broad and extends farther forwards than 

 in the Pacific specimen.! The vomerine patch is also wider and shorter, as 

 well as blunt behind, and the tongue is shorter. Differences like these can- 

 not in this case be well attributed to age or condition, and are apparently spe- 

 cific. But as Cuvier and Valenciennes have not made use of these charac- 

 ters, but distinguished their species on the most trivial grounds, and as Giin- 

 ther, with much better opportunies than those enjoyed by me, has considered 

 them all identical, I provisionally aecept his synonomy, until we may better 

 know the value of the character referred to. There can at least be scarcely 

 any doubt that there is only one Naucrates on the eastern coast of America, 

 as the difference of color on account of which the N. noveboracensis has been 

 distinguished from N. ductor, is, as Cuvier and Valenciennes have themselves 

 suggested, the result of alteration by liquor. J 



No specimen of Naucrates from the United States is in the Smithsonian 

 collection. 



Genus ZONICHTHYS (Swainson). 



Seriola Cuv. (nee Gaertner). 

 The name Zonichthys was proposed by Swainson for the Scomber fasciatus 



* One from Honolulu, one of the Sandwich Islands, sent to the Smithsonian Institution 

 by the Rev. W. H. Pease. It is rather shorter than the European one. 



t By analogy, the Sandwich Island specimen being smaller, the height of the body 

 should be greater, and the teeth more developed than in the European one. 



t The Mediterranean specimen of Naucrates ductor from the Bonaparte collection, re- 

 ceived from the Academy of Natural Sciences, has the same yellow color as the nominal 

 N. noveboracensis. 



I This genus does not embrace the Seriola gigas of Gunther (nee Poey) which is distin- 

 guished by the eight dorsal spines, shorter second dorsal fin and subrhomboidal patch of 

 vomerine teeth. It may be called Naucrafopsis gigas. Another allied genus is the 

 FJagatis of Bennett, which is also the Seriolichthys of Bleeker, Decaptvs of Poey, and 

 finally Irex of Valenciennes. 



1862.] 



