314 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



19. Haemulon flaviguttatum. 



Ecetnnlon flariguttatus, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci., Phila., 1862, 254 (Cape San 



Lucas). 

 Hcemulon flaviguttatum, Steixdachner, Iclith. Beitr. iii, 14, 1875; Mazatlan ; 



Acapulco ; Altata ; Panama); Streets, Bull. U. S., Nat. Mus., vii, 79, 



1877 (Lower California). 

 Diabasis flaviguttatus, Jordan & Gilbert, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., 1881, 324; 



1882, 107, 110 (Mazatlan, Panama) ; Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S.Nat. 



Mus., 1882, 361, 381, 626 (Cape San Lucas, Panama). 

 HcemuJon margaritiferum, Gunther, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1864, 147; Gl'NTHER, 



Fishes Centr. Amer., 1869, 419, pi. Ixv, fig. 2 (Panama). 



Habitat. — Pacific coast of troi)ical America; Cajje San Lucas to Pan- 

 ama. 



Head, 3f (4§) ; depth, 3^ (4^). D. XII or XIII, 15. A. Ill, 9. Scales 

 5_50-l4. Length, (17,543, Gulf of California) 12 inches. 



Form different from that of the other species of Hcemulon^ of an elon- 

 gate oval, compressed ; the back elevated ; the snout sharp ; tbe caudal 

 peduncle long and slender; the ventral outline more curved than usual 

 in this group. 



Head small and short, with short, pointed snout, which is 3f in its 

 length ; anterior profile slightly concave before eye, thence steep and 

 slightly convex to front of dorsal. Mouth small, quite strongly ob- 

 lique, the maxillary extending to or slightly bej'ond front of pupil, its 

 length 2§ in head, lower jaw considerably ijrojecting, teeth all very 

 small, the outer and i)osterior scarcely enlarged. Eye large, 3| in head 

 in adult. Interorbital si)ace very broad, 3f in head. Preorbital very 

 narrow, its least breadth 7^ in head. Preopercle finely and sharply 

 serrate, its angle projecting backward and broadly rounded. 



(xill-rakers much longer and more numerous than in any other species 

 of Hwmulon, the longest about equal to least breadth of preorbital, about 

 22 on the lower part of the arch. 



Scales of moderate size, those above lateral line arranged in very ob- 

 lique series, and very slightly enlarged; soft fins, scaly as usual. 



Dorsal spines 12 (sometimes 13) in number, low and rather slender, 

 the longest 2| in head. Soft dorsal, long and low, the longest ray 4^ 

 in head. Caudal widely forked, its upper lobe scarcely shorter than 

 head. Anal fin long and low, the anterior rays not reaching nearly to 

 base of last ray when depressed, their length 3^ in head. Second anal 

 spine 3 in head, little longer or stronger than third. Ventrals, 1§ in head. 

 Pectorals long, IJ^. 



Color, in spirits, dark steel-gray ; a small very distinct pale spot on 

 each scale of back and sides, surrounded hj darker. This spot is, in 

 spirits, light yellowish; in life of a pearly blue. Head plain ; a small 

 dusky blotch under angle of preopercle. Fins plain (probably yellow 

 in life). Young with a large black blotch at base of caudal, as in H. 

 steindachtieri and H. maculicauda and without the dusky horizontal 

 streaks seen in most of the other species. 



