^0 PAPERS FROM TORTUGAS LABORATORY vol. xxxiv 



All these were gray with dark fins and a broad dark band about the fore part 

 of the body. But the species is changeable, as its dark girdle may be wholly sup- 

 pressed, leaving it gray in color. 



Brazil to Florida. W. H. L. 



Family SPARIDAE. Porgies 



Calamus Swainson, 1839 



The species of this genus are closely related and imperfectly known. Dr. 

 Longley found great difficulty in identifying the specimens observed at Tortugas, 

 and accordingly undertook a study of the genus by examining many specimens 

 in American and European museums. Although he did not complete the study, 

 he apparently reached certain more or less definite conclusions, which it seems 

 desirable to report even though some of them do not apply directly to species 

 found at Tortugas. 



So far as I am able to judge from his notes and manuscript, Dr. Longley came 

 to the conclusion that he took only two species at Tortugas. One he certainly 

 identified as Calamus calamus. Concerning the other one I am less certain. 

 According to notations made in his copy of Jordan, Evermann, and Clark's 

 Chec\ list (1930), however, and a pencil note over the account prepared for this 

 species, I judge he intended to call it C. bajonado. For the recognition of these 

 species certain differences in color, profile, and relative size of dorsal and anal 

 spines seem important. 



The collection contains specimens of various sizes. Though they differ con- 

 siderably in color, I am unable to separate the preserved material on the basis of 

 the differences given by Dr. Longley. The adults certainly appear to be C. 

 calamus, and at least some of the younger ones also seem to be of that species. 

 The synonymy given under C. calamus includes C. macrops (Poey, Ann. Lye. 

 Nat. Hist. New York, vol. 10, 1872, p. 181 — Havana, Cuba) and C. \endalli Ever- 

 mann and Marsh (Rept. U. S. Fish Comm., pt. 25, 1899 (1900), p. 354— Puerto 

 Rico), which have been considered good species in some recent works. On the 

 other hand, Dr. Longley extracted Pagellus orbitarius Poey (Memorias, vol. 2, 

 i860, p. 201 — Cuba) from this synonymy, as often given, and assigned it to the 

 synonymy of Pargus quadrituberculatus Ranzani (Nov. com. Acad. sci. inst. 

 Bonon., vol. 5, 1842, p. 348, pi. 32— Brazil). To the synonymy of this last- 

 mentioned species he referred also C. pennatula Guichenot (Mem. Soc. sci. nat. 

 Cherbourg, vol. 14, 1868, p. 116 — Martinique). 



Concerning C. quadrituberculatus Dr. Longley said: "In museum collections 

 this is confused often with Calamus calamus, often with Calamus penna. Once 

 recognized, C. quadrituberculatus is readily distinguishable. Calamus proridens 

 is the only sort from which its segregation should offer difficulty except when 

 the fishes are very small. 



"Except from the species last mentioned its dentition sets it apart. A pair of 

 superior canines, which in the adult become distinctly larger than the others and 

 are then obliquely antrorse, from a very early stage are slightly enlarged and 

 project downward beyond the rest in the outer series. These others with which 



