MASTERS OF THE WATER-BONY FISHES 



233 



Two-spiNED soapfish: Ryfticus histrisfinus 



Size: Averages 8 inches. Up to 1 foot. 



Distribution: West Indies, straggling to Cape Cod. Also western tropical 

 Mexico. 



Identification: The peculiar shape, with only two spines in the soft dorsal, 

 identify it. The color is a dusky olive to dull purple. 



Habits: The authors have seen these fishes around coral heads in shallow 

 water, but they probably keep to moderately deep water much of the time. 

 When handled, they secrete a mucus remarkably like soap suds. 



Fig. 127. Midget sea basses. Prionodes (/eft) and Diplectrum (rig/zt). 



HARLEQUIN SERRANiD: Prionodes tigrinus— Figure 12 



Size: Rarely over 4 inches. 



Distribution: West Indies. 



Identification: The very low forehead, long snout, and distinctive barred 

 pattern identify this fish. This species and those similar to it have forked or 

 lunate caudal fins. 



Habits: This little bass is one of a number of very small basses of tropical 

 "seas. Most keep to fairly deep water. Their movements are quick, flitting, 

 and altogther birdlike as they dart about reefs in search of small invertebrates on 

 which to feed. This species is one that keeps to shallow water. 



Similar Species: Among the many midget basses is the sandfish, Diplectrum 

 formosum. It reaches a length of almost a foot but is usually smaller, has a 

 very spiny preoperculum, and is found along eastern shores from North Caro- 

 lina to Texas. It is gray or tan with stripes on the body and head and has a large 

 eye. 



The phoebe or tattler, Prionodes fhoebe, grows to 8 inches, has a prominent 

 white bar on the side, is typical of deeper water, and is found in the West 

 Indies. 



The butler hamlet, Hypcplecturus unicolor, looks a great deal like a demoiselle, 

 with its compressed deep body, but the head and mouth are large. The coloration 

 is extremely variable. The colors are usually bright yellows, lavenders, greens, or 



