i94i CATALOGUE OF FISHES OF TORTUGAS ™ r 



Body brown above a line from mouth and over pectoral to base of upper 

 caudal rays, along which the pigmentation continues to their tip; a less distinct 

 line, as broad as eye, from lower jaw, beneath pectoral to above anal fin, where 

 it expands, covering lower part of side and ventral surface of caudal peduncle, 

 and continuing along lower rays of caudal. In life the side above and below this 

 line pale, with small round blue spots on cheek, others on side of caudal peduncle, 

 and eight or nine transverse rows of such spots, or narrow blue lines, on its 

 under surface. W. H. L. 



The collection contains 2 specimens, 68 and 95 mm. long. The larger one un- 

 doubtedly is the one mentioned by Dr. Longley. The smaller one is a specimen 

 in good condition, which retains rather distinct color markings. In general, the 

 color and pattern agree with those of the larger specimen described. The smaller 

 one, however, has the two longitudinal bands partly composed of pale markings 

 which enclose dark spots. In fact, the upper band is quite chainlike. On the snout 

 and sides of the head the pale markings are coarser and more elongate, forming 

 mostly short longitudinal lines. In the small specimen the dark bands do not 

 extend on the outer rays of the caudal fin as in the larger one. 



The following proportions and enumerations are based on the 2 specimens at 

 hand: Head 2.6, 2.5; snout to origin of dorsal 1.4, 1.4. Eye in head 3.5, 3.5; snout 

 1.7, 1.6; interorbital 3.4, 3.4; caudal peduncle 3.0, 2.5; pectoral 3.5, 3.6. D. 10, 10; 

 A.Q,oy 2 ;P. 16, 15. 



Apparently occurring on both coasts of the Atlantic; known from the Ameri- 

 can side from the West Indies, Florida, and Bermuda. S. F. H. 



Family DIODONTIDAE. Porcupine Fishes; Burfishes 



Diodon hystrix Linnaeus 



Occasionally seen lurking in Orbicella heads. 



The 3-rooted spines are readily erectile in the living fish in its inflated con- 

 dition, since their connections with one another are flexible. The caudal peduncle 

 and dorsal and anal fins are not hidden within the distended skin of the swollen 

 fish, as they are in Diodon holacanthus. The predorsal spines are notably 3- 

 rooted, and the postpectoral ones double the frontal spines in length. D. 15*4 or 

 16; A. 15% or 16; P. 25, including the dwarfed upper ray. 



The coloration of D. hystrix commonly varies little, but an individual in the 

 aquarium became much lighter whenever a Pomacentrits pecked trifling abra- 

 sions about the bases of several broken spines. At a length of 310 mm. the vertical 

 and pectoral fins are much spotted. 



Widely distributed in tropical seas; on the Atlantic coast of America north- 

 ward to Florida and sometimes to Cape Cod. W. H. L. 



Diodon holacanthus Linnaeus 



This species, which seems quite distinct from Diodon hystrix, was taken com- 

 monly, to the length of 125 mm., on the usual seining grounds throughout the 

 summer. 



