1941 CATALOGUE OF FISHES OF TORTUGAS fa 



on side of snout, through eye, to opercle. Another female had five light bands 

 before dorsal, one under dorsal, and nine behind it; dorsal fin with nine oblique 

 dark bars, diffuse and irregular across the rays. The male differed in color in 

 having silvery spots on the inferior lateral keel which did not extend up on the 

 sides; also in having rather sharp dark bars of the width of light bands imme- 

 diately behind them; ventral surface of trunk rather regularly banded. 



The color of fresh specimens remains for the most part in the preserved 

 material. The silvery half-bars in the female and the silvery spots along the in- 

 ferior lateral keel in the male are good recognition marks, though S. pelagicus, 

 according to current descriptions, has them too. The young, under about 90 to 

 100 mm. in length, do not have the silvery bars or spots and generally are plainer 

 than the adults. 



The following proportions and enumerations are based on 7 specimens, unless 

 otherwise stated, ranging in length from no to 160 mm.: Head 6.9 to 7.6; depth 

 21 to 29; distance from snout to vent 2.2 to 2.4; base of dorsal 9 to 10. Eye in head 

 7.6 to 10 (4.0 to 5.25 in snout); snout 1.8 to 1.9; depth 3.0 to 4.25; base of dorsal 

 1.2 to 1.4. D. 27 to 29 (14 specimens counted), over iV 2 or 2 + 4 or 5 rings; 16 to 

 18 + 32 to 35 rings (14 specimens counted); brood pouch on 12V2 or 13 rings 

 (5 specimens counted). 



This species has been recorded from the West Indies and now presumably for 

 the first time from the Florida Keys. S. F. H. 



Syngnathus floridae (Jordan and Gilbert) 



Siphostoma floridae, Jordan and Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 5, 1882 (1883), p. 263 



— Pensacola, Florida. 

 Siphostoma mackayi Swain and Meek, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 7, 1884 (1885), P- -39 — 



Key West, Florida. 



Common in turtle grass on Long Key and Bird Key flats. May exceed 200 mm. 

 in length. Males in June and July very often carrying eggs or young to the 

 number of 150 or more, arranged for the most part in four rows, or in six at the 

 widest part, and completely covered by the fleshy folds of the brood pouch, which 

 are turned in smoothly and deeply along the line of contact. 



Keels on the head moderate, the superior rostral and supraorbital smooth; a 

 weak and smooth riclge on anterior part of opercle, two very' slight ones, the 

 lower stronger, on base of pectoral; the weak nuchal crest and the superior 

 carinae of trunk and tail slightly beaded; minute pits on opercle in linear series, 

 giving rise to a less evident appearance of striation than in S. robertsi. D. 28 to 

 34, usually on i l / 2 + 6 or 2 + 5 rings; rings 17 to 18 + 33 to 37; brood pouch on 

 13 to 16 rings, or rarely more, as in one of the types. Until the length of about 

 165 mm. is attained the sexes differ little in form except in the region of the 

 brood pouch. The female, however, begins to increase in depth soon thereafter, 

 and by the time she has attained a length of 200 mm. her greatest height equals 

 a width of 4 instead of 2 rings in the same region. 



Color commonly light gray over dorsal surface and greenish on sides, both 

 back and sides much spotted with dashes and streaks of gray running length- 

 wise. On this ground are narrow light bands or rings at irregular intervals, 



