117 

 THE MEDITERRANEAN APOGON. 



Apogon rex MuUorum. — Cuv. et Val. 



PLATE XI, 



Apogon commun, vulgairment Roi des Rougets, Cuv. et 

 Valen, Hist. Nat. des Poissons, ii. p. 143. 



D. 6-1.9; A. 2.8; C. 19; P. 10; V. 1.5. 



Apogon is a title established by Lacepede for 

 this fish, from the connection which he supposed 

 it bore with the true Mullets, but from which 

 Cuvier is of opinion it is considerably removed. 

 The members of the subgenus are distinguished 

 from any we have yet seen by the largeness of 

 their scales, which, in reality, resemble those of 

 the Cyprini. They, however, come very easily 

 off, like those of the Mullets. The dorsal fins 

 are far separated. The preopercle has a double 

 edge, finely toothed. In the internal structure 

 tliey bear a greater resemblance to the Perches 

 than to the Mullets. 



The Common Mediterranean Apogon has been 

 subject to much confusion of synonymy, which M. 

 Cuvier has entered into at length in his history, 

 but which it is unnecessary to introduce here. It 

 is the only species found in the Mediterranean, 

 and is taken at Marseilles, Nice, Ivica, Naples, 



