i 94 i CATALOGUE OF FISHES OF TORTUGAS 21 



compressed; interorbital concave; bony ridge over anterior part of eye serrate; 

 lower jaw slightly shorter than upper; teeth not large. 

 Tropical western Atlantic, northward off the south Atlantic coast states. 



S.F.H. 



Synodus poeyi Jordan 



One specimen from 13 to 15 fathoms, east of Bush Key, and a dozen from 

 depths between 39 and 55% fathoms, south of Tortugas. The smallest (105 mm.) 

 sexually mature in late August. 



In a specimen 123 mm. long, 104 mm. to base of caudal, the proportionate 

 measurements are: Depth 16 mm. (6.5); head 27 mm. (3.9). Eye 6.0 mm. (4.5 in 

 head); interorbital width 5.0 mm. (5.4); snout 7.0 mm. (4.4). Six specimens all 

 have the fin formulas D. nV 2 ; A. 10%, except one which has 1 anal ray more. 

 Second dorsal ray reaching beyond end of base of fin, almost as far as nth; scales 

 3 or 4-45-5, 3 rows between adipose fin and lateral line; teeth in 2 rows in upper 

 jaw, 3 in lower, outer fixed, remainder depressible, slight, compressed, slightly 

 barbed; 3 rows on tongue, the outer larger; teeth also present on basipharyn- 

 geals; and 2 rows on palatines, the inner larger. 



Rather pale in color, almost translucent, silvery on the sides, faintly yellow 

 above. The largest specimens with seven diamond-shaped spots with light centers 

 on lateral line; spots of solid color below the diamond-shaped spots, and alter- 

 nating with them; a dark saddle at dorsal origin, another at tips of dorsal rays, 

 at adipose fin, and at base of caudal; dorsal and upper caudal lobe faintly cross- 

 barred. 



West Indies to Florida. W. H. L. 



Synodus intermedius (Agassiz) 



This species was collected at depths as great as 60 fathoms; 14 specimens, 170 

 to 215 mm. long, in one haul at 40 fathoms. Large specimens are sometimes 

 found also in shallow water. 



General color grayish above and silvery below; sides with a series of ten con- 

 tiguous diamond-shaped spots from level of eye to base of caudal, the alternate 

 ones being connected with blotches on back, carrying the color to the other side 

 in a series of irregular bands; the first band being before the pectorals, and sug- 

 gestions of fainter bands between the more outstanding ones; a dark shoulder 

 spot, partly concealed by the opercle. W. H. L. 



Norman (Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1935, p. 104) expressed some doubt as to 

 the distinctness of this species and Synodus poeyi, suggesting that the latter 

 might prove to be the young of the former. There are now at hand specimens 

 from Tortugas of nearly equal size for comparison, which show beyond reason- 

 able doubt that the two are distinct. The scales in S. intermedius are firm and 

 adherent, whereas they are largely lost in specimens of S. poeyi. The difference 

 in the tip of the lower jaw, pointed out by Norman, holds for small specimens, 

 the fleshy knob at the tip of the jaw in poeyi being missing in intermedius. Al- 



