Fishes of the Western Nort/i Atlantic 129 



may be attributed to the development of some of the rudiments into rakers as the fish 

 grows. Thus, in 29 specimens 150 mm SL and under, 5 had 5, 14 had 6, and 10 had 

 7 rakers and 2 or 3 rudiments on the upper limb; among 20 specimens over 150 mm 

 SL, 2 had 6, 4 had 7, and 14 had 8 rakers and i or 2 rudiments. Similarly, among 35 

 specimens 150 mm SL and under, 5 had 10, 14 had 11, 11 had 12, and 5 had 13 rakers 

 and 2 or 3 rudiments on the lower limb; among 32 specimens over 150 mm, 4 had 12, 

 7 had 13, 18 had 14, and 3 had 15 rakers and i or 2 rudiments on the lower limb. 

 Relation to Man. For its size, the Ladyfish affords good sport to the light-tackle 

 angler, but it is virtually of no value as food, its meat being dry and bony. It is seen 

 from time to time in the market at Colon, Panama, where it is known as "bonyfish" 

 to the West Indian Negro immigrants who speak English; however, the demand for 

 it is small. When the Gatun Locks were drained in 1935, hundreds of Ladyfish 

 became stranded, and it was estimated that more than 1,000 pounds perished. While 

 the employees and the native residents eagerly accepted tarpon, crevalle jack (Caranx 

 hippos), and other species, the Ladyfish was entirely neglected and had to be buried 



{37 •■ 25)- 



Range and Abundance. Its range extends from Cape Cod to Brazil. The southern- 

 most locality for which it has been recorded seems to be Rio de Janeiro (60: 90; 

 26: 132). While E. saurus is not numerous in the West Indies, it is widespread in 

 the Caribbean-Gulf of Mexico region, and is common along Atlantic Panama; the 

 Study Material includes three specimens from the Gulf of Venezuela. It is common 

 around Florida, especially in enclosed waters such as the Indian River and among the 

 islands off the southwestern coast. The Ladyfish also occurs around Bermuda, though 

 not in any great numbers. To the north, it is present irregularly off Beaufort, North 

 Carolina, and it has been reported as common in the Chesapeake Bay region; farther 

 to the north its appearances — always in autumn — are sporadic. Considerable numbers 

 were taken near Sandy Hook in October 1923; for example, 13 out of one trap on 

 the 19th {55: 2,'i)- It has been recorded for the eastern part of Long Island (Orient), 

 New York, from October 6 to November 4. Also, it has appeared in considerable 

 numbers at various localities in the Woods Hole region in some autumns {6y: 741), 

 but there is no dependable record for a Ladyfish north of the elbow of Cape Cod — 

 there is no knowing whether one taken at Chatham, Massachusetts, in 1888 (7: 139) 

 was from Nantucket Sound or the Gulf of Maine shore of Cape Cod. Nor is there 

 any possibility of determining whether an "Albula vulpes," taken at Black's Harbor 

 (Charlotte County, New Brunswick) and in poor condition when examined (jj: 45), 

 was actually a Bonefish or Ladyfish. 



Synonyms and References: 



Elops saurus Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, 1766: 5 r8 (orig. descr.; type local. "Carolina"; type, a dried skin in 

 BMNH; see Goode and Bean, Proc. U.S. nat. Mus. [1885], 8, 1886: 205); Bloch and Schneider, 

 Syst. Ichthyol., 1801: 430, pi. 82 (descr., refs.); DeKay, New York Fauna, Fishes (4), 1842: 267, 

 pi. 41, fig. 131 (descr.. New York Harbor); Storer, Synop. Fish. N. Amer., 1846: 211 (descr., refs.) ; 

 Gronow, Cat. Fish., Gray ed., 1854: 168 (descr., refs., distr.); Poey, Repert. Fisico-Nat. Cuba, 2, 1867: 

 423 (diagn., Cuba); Giinther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., 7, 1868: 470 (synon., descr., Cuba, Jamaica, St. 



