Fishes of the Western North Atlantic 409 



fied ones on base of fin (Fig. loi). Anal much lower than dorsal, its last two rays 

 considerably enlarged and scarcely shorter than the longest ones in anterior lobe of fin, 

 its origin generally a little nearer to base of caudal than to base of pelvic, its base 

 1. 7- 1. 8 5 in head; a moderately broad sheath of scales at base. Pelvic fin with margin 

 slightly convex when spread, reaching notably less than halfway to origin of anal, its 

 shortest ray about 75 "/o of the length of the longest one, the fin inserted equidistant 

 between base of pectoral and origin of anal, or a little nearer to the former, 2.5-2.8 in 

 head; the axillary process reaching to or beyond midlength of fin. Pectoral fin slightly 

 falcate, generally failing to reach base of pelvic fin by a distance nearly equal to di- 

 ameter of eye, its length from base to tip of longest ray 5.1-5.8 in SL, i. 4-1. 55 in head. 



Color. Bluish black above, changing abruptly to bright silvery at level of upper 

 margin of eye. Region of shoulder, upper surface of head, snout, and mandible with 

 dusky punctulations. Dorsal and caudal more or less dusky, the lobe of the dorsal dusky 

 when folded, the dusky appearance being caused by dark dots on the rays (missing on 

 inter-radial membranes); the other fins plain, translucent, except for dark dots on one 

 or two uppermost rays of pectoral. Peritoneum black. 



Size. The largest example included in the collections examined is 180 mm 

 (7.2 in.) TL, 145 mm SL. However, examples 230 mm (9.2 in.) long have been 

 reported (25: 189). 



Development. No young definitely identified as this species are included in the col- 

 lections examined, the smallest being 82 mm TL, 64 mm SL. Nevertheless, it is evi- 

 dent that the remarks on the development of young S. anchovia (p. 404) also apply to 

 this species, as the smallest examples are the slenderest and have the fewest gill rakers 

 on the lower limb. 



Food. The food of this species has not been listed. However, the very numerous 

 close-set gill rakers and the stomach with heavy walls and numerous pyloric coeca 

 suggest a diet consisting of plankton. 



Relationship. This species has been here designated as brasiliensis principally be- 

 cause of Longley's discovery that the type material of anchovia., in Paris, consisted of 

 two species {Sj: 7), as stated in the account oi anchovia (p. 405). Accordingly, Longley 

 assigned the specimens with the more numerous gill rakers to brasiliensis., which may 

 be correct, but positive proof is lacking, as the original description of brasiliensis gives 

 neither the number of rakers nor any other diagnostic character as herein understood. 

 The specimens (or species) with the greater number of rakers were compared with 

 one identified as "Clupea brasiliensis Steindachner," also from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; 

 they were found to be identical with it. 



S. brasiliensis is close to anchovia according to a limited number of rather indif- 

 ferently preserved specimens, from Cuba and Jamaica. However, specimens from Port- 

 of-Spain, Trinidad, and from Venezuela are quite distinct from those of our Atlantic 

 coast, the most outstanding difference being the greater number of gill rakers in brasil- 

 iensis; other differences include the position of the dorsal and pelvic fins, the size of 

 the eye, and the length of maxillary and pectoral fin. 



