FISHES OF THE GULF OF MAINE 277 



104. Kingfish ( Menticirrhus saxatilis Block and Schneider) 



King whiting; Minkfisii; Whiting; Sea mullet 



Jordan and Evermann, 1896-1900, p. 1475. 



Description. — The kingfish recalls the weakfish in the general arrangement 

 and the relative sizes of its fins, the second dorsal being much longer than the first 

 or than the anal, but its first dorsal (10 spines) is relatively much higher and more 

 pointed than that of the weakfish, with its third spine not only much elongate but 

 filamentous at the tip (a noticeable character), while the rather blunt ncse with 

 snout overhanging the mouth give the kingfish a very characteristic cast of coun- 

 tenance (fig. 129). Its upper jaw, furthermore, projects beyond the lower, whereas 

 the reverse is the case in the squeteague. Its chin bears a barbel, which the latter 

 lacks, its lips are fleshy, and it has no canine teeth. Its tail, too, is of very charac- 

 teristic outline, with its lower half rounded and the upper emarginate, suggesting, 



Fig. 129.— Kingfish (Menticirrhus sazatilis) 



though not exactly paralleling, the tail of the sea bass (p. 260) . Though it is about as 

 slender, proportionally, as a squeteague, the kingfish carries its weight farther forward 

 (it is deepest below the first dorsal), and has a weak-tailed appearance remotely 

 suggesting a hake (p. 446). We need merely note further that the filamentous spine 

 of the first dorsal is longer in large fish than in small ones; that the second dorsal 

 (one stout but short spine followed by 26 or 27 rays) is about one-third as long 

 as the fish and tapers slightly from front to rear; that the anal (one long spine 

 and 8 rajs) stands under the middle of the second dorsal; and that the pectoral 

 is pointed and relatively much longer than that of the squeteague. 



Color. — Leaden or dusky gray above — sometimes so dark as to be almost 

 black — with silver} T and metallic reflections; milky or yellowish-white below. 

 The sides are marked irregularly with dark bars. Behind the spiny dorsal these 

 run obliquely forward and downward, but the foremost one or two run in the 

 opposite direction forming a V-shaped blotch or two dark Vs below the fin. The 



