73 FISHES OF SINALOA. 445 



109. Mycteroperca boulengeri Jordan & Starks, n. sp. 

 Cabrilla Raizer. "Mangrove Grouper." 

 Plate xxxviii. 



This species is found with Mycteroperca Jordan/ Jen- 

 kins & Evermann in about equal abundance. It reaches a 

 much smaller size than any other species of Mycteroperca. 

 It is in many ways an aberrant form, showing affinities 

 with Epinephelus. The anal fin is short, as in Epine- 

 phelus, while the general appearance and coloration is 

 that of Mycteroperca. The structure of the skull shows 

 that its affinities are with the latter. 



Head 2-f in length; depth 2;}. Dorsal XI-14 or 15; 

 anal III— 9 or 10; scales about 90, 20 above and 42 below: 

 snout 3)4 in head: maxillary 2-1; eye 5^; pectoral 1^; 

 ventral iff; longest anal ray 1^3 ; caudal if: longest dor- 

 sal spine 2 l />\ gill-rakers short, about 6-J-17, the longest 

 about I eye; longest dorsal ray 2 in head; length 10 

 inches. 



Body short and deep, compressed. Head moderate, 

 compressed, its profile not steep, nearly straight, a de- 

 pression before eye. Upper canines moderate, the lower 

 quite small. Nostrils small, well separated, the anterior 

 slightlv larger. Lower jaw very strongly projecting. 

 Maxillary reaching opposite posterior edge of pupil. Pre- 

 opercle slighily notched, the angle slightly salient, with 

 enlarged teeth. Dorsal not deeply notched, the fourth 

 spine not much elevated. Second dorsal high, not long, 

 its angle not rounded. Caudal scarcely lunate, the upper 

 lobe long, the lower truncate. Anal very high, strongly 

 elevated ; its posterior border incised, the anterior rounded. 

 Pectoral and ventral moderate. Scales smoothish, not very 

 small. 



Color olive gray, covered everywhere with oblong ir- 

 regular marking's of black, between which the ground 



