1884.] NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 22T 



A BEVIEW OF THE AMEKICAN SPECIES OF THE GENUS TEUTHIS. 

 BY SETH E. MEEK AND MARTIN L. HOFFMAN. 



In the present paper is given the s^monymy of tlie American 

 species of Teuthis L. (^= Acanthurus Forskalj witli an anal^'sis 

 of their most important specific characters. 



Specimens of eacli of three species, which seem to us valid, were 

 obtained by Professor David S. Jordan, at Havana and at Key West. 

 On this material, belonging to the Indiana University and the 

 United States National Museum, the present paper is based. It 

 is possible that other species exist in American waters, but there 

 is certainly nothing in any published description which suggests 

 the probability that such is the case. 



We are indebted to Professor Jordan for use of his library and 

 for valuable aid. 



Analysis of American Species of Teuthis, 



a. Outline rhomboid , the depth 1^ in length to base of caudal ; 

 anterior profile subvertical, nearly straight, making an 

 angle of about 60° with axis of body ; color brown, washed 

 with bright blue ; body marked with undulating longitu- 

 dinal light streaks ; no dark crossbars ; vertical fins with 

 oblique bronze streaks ; lips and caudal spine yellow ; 

 caudal deeply emarginate, its lobes about equal in length ; 

 middle rays about f length of outer rays ; head 3 j in length 

 to base of caudal. D. lX-27 ; A. III-24. cceruleus. 1 



aa. Outline ovate ; the depth 2 in length to base of caudal ; ante- 

 rior profile moderatel}^ convex, making angle of about 45° 

 with axis of body. 



b. Caudal deeply emarginate, its upper lobe longer than lower, 

 slender and produced into a filament, the inner rays | 

 length of the outer rays (in the adult) ; margin of caudal 

 fin whitish ; color dark brown, no transverse bars ; brown 

 wavy longitudinal streaks on sides of body ; eight dark 

 lines running parallel with edge of dorsal fin for its whole 

 length, and separated by interspaces of the same width ; 

 anal fin bluish, with a violet base ; head 3^ in length of 

 body. D. IX-24 ; A. III-22. tractus. 2 



