RUDDER FISHES IN THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC 



457 



Table 7. — Number of scales along straight line on 104 sper/men.s of Kyphosus sectatrix and 54 specimens of Kyphosus incisor 



larger than 18 mm. 



[Arranged by species and area of capture) 



tongue each had about 12 viUifonn teeth (6 on 

 each side), and each pterygoid liad about six 

 teeth. The incisor teeth on the jaws had the 

 horizontal base processes found in the adults. 

 The rows of teeth were interspaced with both 

 incisiforni and caniniform tj'pes. 



From about 100 mm., characteristic adult 

 teeth are present. There are about 13 to 22 

 incisiform teeth in a row on each side of each 

 jaw, with large horizontal basal processes as 

 described b}" Jordan and Evermann (1898), Ever- 

 mann and Marsh (1900), and Giinther (1859). 

 Vilhform teeth are behind these rows. The 

 patches of villiform teeth on the tongue and 

 pterygoid are slightly larger than at smaller 

 sizes, the vomer is still covered with teeth, and 

 there are also some teeth on the palatines. 



Pigmentation. — Unless otherwise noted the pig- 

 mentation described is on specimens preserved 

 in foniuiHii for 2 to 8 years (up to 55 mm.) and in 

 alcohol for more than 20 years (above 55 mm.). 

 This species has striped and spotted phases which 

 Townsend (1929) found the fish could alternate 

 quickly. Between 10 and 12 mm., small dark 

 pigment spots cover most of the body and the 

 fins, except for the caudal, the region of the first 

 three dorsal and anal soft-rays, and the distal 

 parts of the remainder of the soft dorsal and anal 

 fins (fig. 1). There are larger, ligliter brownish 

 spots on the top of the head, upper lip, and before 

 and behind the eye. Several rows of large dark 

 spots are above the lateral hne on some, or the 

 dark spots may be more dense and uniform on the 

 body on others. Also, some have faint brownish 

 bands on the sides below the dorsal fin. 



Between 12 and 15 mm., the first three dorsal 

 and anal soft-rays have pigment spots, except at 

 the tips (fig. 2). The intensity of pigment on 



the dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins is greater than on 

 the smaller specimens. 



Between 15 and 16 mm., the large brownish 

 spots previously found on tiie head are absent. 

 Small brownisli spots extend along the scale 

 rows and are most prominent above the lateral 

 line. Small dark dashes are found along the 

 pectoral rays. Dark pigment spots extend further 

 out on the dorsal and anal soft-rays, and some 

 spots are found in the middle of the caudal fin 

 near the lij-pural base. 



Between 18 and 19 mm., sides are brownish 

 with light buff -colored patches (fig. 3A). The 

 head is brownish dorsally and buff ventrally. 

 The entire ventral surface back to the anal spine 

 is buff. 



Between 20 and 30 mm., the sides are generally 

 buff with light brownish areas with dark stripes 

 along scale rows above the lateral hne. Usually 

 the buff spots with brown background are more 

 distinct than the dark stripes on preserved 

 specimens (fig. 3B). Nearly all have pigment 

 around the first three dorsal and anal soft-raj'S. 



Between 30 and 75 mm., the wliole body is dark 

 with light patches (fig. 3C, D, and E), including 

 the liead, stomach, dorsal and anal fins, and the 

 proximal half of the caudal fin. On specimens 

 preserved about one year the same pattern is 

 present, but the brown portion is gray and the 

 dark parts are darker (fig. 3D). 



Between 75 and 260 mm., there arc no spots or 

 light patches on tlie sides; brassy stripes follow 

 along tlie scale rows of the specimens preserved 

 for more tlian 20 years (fig. 3F). One 230-inm. 

 specimen from Jamaica, preserved for less than 

 one year, was slate gray on the sides. 



Gray is given as tlie predominant color of adults 

 in some accounts (Evermann and Marsh, 1900; 



