1941 CATALOGUE OF FISHES OF TORTUGAS 103 



There is no specimen in the collection identifiable with the foregoing descrip- 

 tion. 



West Indies and south Atlantic coast of the United States, sometimes straying 

 northward. S. r. H. 



Centropristes philadelphicus (Linnaeus) 



Perca philadelphica Linnaeus, Syst. nat., 10th ed., 1758, p. 291 — America. 

 Serranus ocyurus Jordan and Evermann, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 9, 1886, p. 468 — 

 Snapper Banks off Pensacola, Florida. 



Dr. Longley did not prepare an account of this species, which he listed in his 

 notes as Centropristes ocyurus. It apparently is not rare, as 24 specimens, 150 to 

 240 mm. long, were taken in five hauls, south of Tortugas, in 40 to 60 fathoms. 



A. C. Weed in a recent paper stated that the specimen selected as type of 

 Serranus ocyurus Jordan and Evermann is C. philadelphicus (Field Mus. Nat. 

 Hist., Zool. Ser., vol. 20, 1937, p. 297). He found that another species of this genus, 

 which he named springeri, exists in the Gulf of Mexico, where the type of 

 ocyurus was taken. Some of Dr. Longley's specimens (U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 

 92060) were identified with philadelphicus. 



Centropristes philadelphicus usually is distinguishable from C. striatus, with 

 which its range overlaps, by its 19 to 21 gill rakers on the lower limb of the first 

 arch instead of 21 to 23, by the doubly concave caudal, by the lighter color, and 

 by the blotched or barred pattern. 



The following notes are based on 3 specimens, 120 to 162 mm. long, taken in 

 40 fathoms: "Sometimes with a pattern as described by Jordan and Evermann 

 [see citation above]. More often with seven bars, that is, the several series of 

 spots united vertically. Caudal fin doubly concave, the 4th ray from the dorsal 

 margin exserted. The filament twice the length of the fin." 



This species, though taken only in deep water at Tortugas, is found also in 

 shallow water at Beaufort, North Carolina, and elsewhere. 



South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, northward to or beyond North Carolina. 



S.F.H. 



Diplectrum formosum (Linnaeus) 



This is at once distinguishable from other Atlantic species by the outline of 

 the dorsal fin, which is not emarginate between the spinous and soft parts. Speci- 

 mens up to 75 mm. long may be found on a sandy strip which more or less 

 clearly separates the Thalassia on Loggerhead bank from coral and alga-covered 

 bottom to the west, and also along the sandy west shore. Larger ones, up to 150 

 mm. in length, may be found in small numbers on the sloping banks or parts of 

 the bottom of the deep holes in Bird Key flats, but it is really common only in 

 the 10-fathom channels within the lagoon, and on similar smooth sandy or 

 muddy bottoms east of Bush Key and Bird Key reef. 



The coloration is variable. In a phase in which it may be active, it is grayish, 

 countershaded, and with longitudinal stripes of brown; two stripes from inter- 

 orbital space to origin of soft dorsal; another extending from superior orbital 



