374 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Epinephelus venenosus, Jordan, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1884, 124 (Key West). 

 Serranua petrosus, Pony, Memorias Cuba, ii, 136, I860 (Havana) ; Poey, Reper- 



torio, ii, 165, 1868. 

 Trisotropis petrosus, Poey, Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. N. Y., 1869,304; Poey, Enuni. 



Pise. Cubens., 1875, 13; Poey, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., 1882, 118 (Key 



West); Jordan & Gilbert, Syn. Fish.N. A., 1883,918 (copied). 

 Trisotropis undulosus, Goode, Bull. U. S. Nat, Mus., v, 55, 1876 (Bermudas; 



excl. syn.). 



b. Var. guttata (cardinalis) (red variety). 



Bonaci cartienaJ, Parra, Feces y Crustaceos Cuba, 1787,29, lam. xvi (Havana). 

 Johnius guftatus, Bloch & Schneider, Syst. Ichthyol., 1801,77 (after Parra). 

 Tnsotropis guttatus, Goode, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., v, 1876, 56 (Bermudas). 

 Serranus cardinalis, Cuv. & Val., ii, 1828, 378 (after Parra) ; Poey, Repertorio, i, 



1867, 200. 

 Trisotropis cardinalis, Poey, Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. N. Y., 1869, 303 (Cuba) ; Poey, 



Enum. Pise. Cubens., 1875, 13. 

 Serranus rupestris, Cuv. & Val., ix, 437, 1833 (San Domingo); Giinther, i, 145, 



1859 (copied). 



Habitat. — West Indies, Florida Keys, Bermudas; the red variety 

 (guttata=cardinalis) not yet known from our coasts. 



A. DESCRIPTION OF AN ADULT SPECIMEN FROM KEY WEST, VAR. 



VENENOSUS. 



Head,2|(3J); depth, 3 (3^). D.XI,16; A. Ill, 11. Scales, 24-125-x. 

 Length, 20^ inches. 



Body rather robust, not strongly compressed 5 head rather bluntish, 

 its anterior profile a little uneven. Mouth large, the maxillary reach- 

 ing much beyond eye, 2 in head ; teeth in rather narrow bands, each jaw 

 with two strong canines, which are not directed forwards ; nostrils mod- 

 erate, close together, the posterior largest. Eye small, 7 in head (adult). 

 Interorbital space flat, broad, 5 in head. Preopercle without salient 

 angle, its emargination slight. 



Scales rather small, chiefly cycloid. Dorsal spines not very weak, the 

 outline of the fin gently convex, the second spine about as long as tenth, 

 the highest 3 in head. Caudal fin lunate, the inner rays 1^ in outer, whicJi 

 are IJ in head. Anal rounded, rather low, the longest rays 2^ in head. 

 Pectorals reaching well beyond tips of ventrals, 2 in head. Pyloric 

 coeca 15 to 20 (Poey). 



Color in life (adult) clear olive green, livid bluish or pearly below, 

 (grayish below in spirits). Upper parts marked everywhere with broad 

 reticulations, and curved blotches of bright clear light green ; these re- 

 ticulations most distinct on the upper part of the head ; a greenish blotch 

 on shoulder before dorsal. Entire body and head covered with round 

 orange-brown spots (becoming brown in spirits) about as large as the 

 nostrils, the centers darkest; these spots largest and least numerous 

 iibove. Angle of mouth orange within. Iris orange. Breast sUghtly 

 rosy, grayish in spirits. Dorsal olive brown with whitish blotches and 

 a very few dark spots. Soft dorsal, anal, caudal, and ventrals broadly 

 edged with blackish, the caudal with more spots, these fins otherwise 



