MASTERS OF THE WATER-BONY FISHES 



217 



The pompanito, Trachmohis rhado'pus, is very similar to the palometa and 

 is found from the Gulf of California southward. 



The common pompano, Trachinotus carolinus Cfig. 112'), is a much sought- 

 after food fish. It has a prominent, yellowish belly, throat, and head. It is 

 quite as deep-bodied as the palometa and has no vertical bars. The maxillary 

 bone just reaches the front part of the eye. The fish reaches 18 inches in length 

 and 7 to 8 pounds and is most common off the Gulf States and Florida around 

 surf and inlets over soft bottoms. This fish is reported by Phillips (1952) 

 to indulge in a strange "flight." The fish sails through the air on its side, head 

 slightly elevated, looking like a sailing paper plate. 



The permit (great pompano, alewife), Trachinotus goodei, reaches large size, 

 up to Wi feet and 47 pounds, but averages 20 pounds. It is very similar to the 

 common pompano, separated from it by having the maxillary bone extended past 

 the pupil of the eye and by rather technical features, such as its possession of 



Fig. 112. Palometa Qufper left) and ■pompano (lower right). 



nineteen to twenty soft dorsal rays and seventeen to nineteen anal rays, in 

 contrast to the common pompano's twenty-five and twenty-two respectively. It is 

 not often found in the same waters as the common pompano, being mainly 

 West Indian. 



The round pompano (permit), Trachinotus falcatus, is very round and deep- 

 bodied, as is the palometa, and has a rounded profile. It is found in common 

 pompano waters, but it is also found from Cape Hatteras south to Brazil. 



The African pompano, Hynnis cuhensis (Hynnis hopkinsi in the Pacific), 

 is a rather rare offshore fish of the West Indies and is also found from Mexico 

 to Panama. It reaches 30 or more pounds and has scutes on the posterior lateral 

 line. The color is a plain bluish silver, and the shape is like the jack cravalle, 

 but the fins are like those of the pompanos. 



