1 94 1 CATALOGUE OF FISHES OF TORTUGAS 2 Q 



as Tylosurus marinus by Gudger (Carnegie Inst. Wash. Pub. 391, 1929, p. 157) 

 were either timucu or longleyi. 

 Florida Keys and southward, probably to Brazil. S. F. H. 



Strongylura raphidoma (Ranzani). Houndfish 



This species is referred to in Dr. Longley's notes as one of the two common 

 ones (the other being marina = timucu) seen around the Laboratory dock. As 

 many as 34 young ones were taken at one time. 



Fin-ray counts appearing in the notes, based on at least 8 specimens, are: D. 21 

 to 24; A. 19 to 22. Two specimens from Tortugas at hand have D. 21 and 22; 

 A. 20 and 21. Dorsal fin posteriorly much higher in young than in adult, over- 

 lapping caudal in small fish. Dorsal and anal opposite each other; lower lobe of 

 caudal notably longer than upper. Scales very small, about 350 in a lateral series. 



The color of a dead specimen is described as greenish above, silvery on side; 

 pectoral greenish; anal and ventrals with little or no pigment. Other fish, as seen 

 in the water, were greenish above, with silvery sides. The young, about 125 mm. 

 in length, have fifteen to eighteen brown blotches on the side, which are distinct 

 from each other when such fish are placed in a white dish, but confluent in a 

 lateral dark stripe in a black dish. 



Dr. Longley made the following interesting note: "At the dock I noticed 

 raphidoma giving an exhibition of its interesting play. Five or six specimens were 

 jumping over a piece of floating paper. Sometimes one would go back and forth 

 quickly as many as three times. Sometimes one would put its snout slowly above 

 the paper and then quickly glide across it; more usually they would make a clear 

 leap. One caught its beak in water after leaping and turned somersault (appar- 

 ently accidentally). This morning fish were jumping across a floating feather, 

 and two larger fish were jumping across the floating body of a fish of their own 

 species." 



A female, 446 mm. long, in spawning condition, was taken from the stomach 

 of a shark on July 5, 1929. 



This species grows large. I have a record (field notes) of one 125 cm. long 

 from Beaufort, North Carolina. 



From the middle Atlantic states southward probably to Brazil. S. F. H. 



Strongylura acus (Lacepede) 



No mention of this species was found in Dr. Longley's notes. Breder (Car- 

 negie Inst. Wash. Pub. 435, 1932, p. 14) stated in part, "Mature specimens of this 

 species are to be found at the Tortugas in early July as small as 650 mm. in 

 standard length." The development of the beak and tail is illustrated, and the 

 color of the young up to about 30 mm. in length is described by Breder. 



West Indies and occasionally northward. S. F. H. 



Ablennes hians (Cuvier and Valenciennes) 



Only the following was found in Dr. Longley's notes: "Took Athlennes hians 

 in night fishing south of Tortugas." There are no specimens in the collection. 



This species, which is the only one in its genus, is readily recognized by the 



