PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 377 



ANALYSIS OF SPECIES OF PROMICROPS. 



a. Color olivaceous with darker cross-sliades, which fade with age ; head and body 

 with rouiid black spots ; preopercle without strong tooth below angle ; dorsal 

 spines low, the edge of the spinous dorsal scarcely convex ; second anal spine as- 

 long as third ; i>rotile slightly concave above eye ; scales moderate (about 95). 



Itaiara, 13. 



13. Promicrops itaiaia. Guasa; Jew-fish; Meroit. 



Cuf/upuguacu, Marcgrave, Hist. Brazil, &c., 1648, 169 (Brazil). 



Itaiara, Marcgrave, Hist. Brazil, &g,, 1648 (Brazil). 



fP&rca guttata,!^., Syst.Nat., 1758, x, 292 (in part: after Marcgrave, «&c.). 



Serranus itaiara, Lichtenstein, Acta Berolin., 1820-1, 278 (Brazil); Cuvier & 

 Valenciennes, ii, 1828, 376 (Brazil); Peters, Berliner Monatsber., 1865, 110 

 (Identification with S. gaJeus M. & H.) ; Steindachner, Ichth. Beitr., v, 127, 

 1876. 



Serranus (Itaiara) itaiara, Vaillant & Bocourt, Miss. Sci. au Mexique., 1875, 90^ 

 pi. ii, f. 4 (identification with S. quinquefasciatus. Brazil; Tanesco; Mex- 

 ico; Pacific). 



Epinejihelus itaiara, Jordan, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1884, 124 (Key West). 



Serranus galeus, Miiller & Troschel, Schomburgk's Reise in Brit. Guiana, 621^ 

 about 1842; Giinther, i, 1859, 130 (Brazil).- 



Epinephelus jraZcws, Jordan, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1883.285 (identification 

 of type of Serranus galeus). 



Serranus guasa, Poey, Memorias Cuba, ii, 1860, 141, 354, tab. 13, f. 8 (Cuba). 



Promicrops guasa, Poey, Rep., ii, 154, 1868; Poey, Synopsis Pise. Cub., 287, 

 1868; Poey,Enum. Pise. Cubens., 1875, 18; Poey, Bull. U. S. FishComm., 

 1882, 118 (Key West); Jordan & Gilbert, Syn. Fishes N. A., 1883, 542. 

 (copied) ; Gill, Rep. U. S. Fish Comm., 1871-2, 806 (name only). 



Epinephelus guasa, Goode & Bean, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1882, 238 (name only). 



Serranus quinquefasciatus, Bocourt, Ann. Sci. Nat., 1868, 223 (Nagualate; Pacific; 

 coast of Guatemala). 



Epineplielus quinquefasciatus, Jordan & Gilbert, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., 1882, 

 106, 110, 112 (Mazatlan ; Panama; Punta Arenas). No descr. 



Habitat. — Both coasts of tropical America north to Florida, and Gulf 

 of California south to Brazil. 



Head, 2f (3f); depth, 3^ (S-j^o)- I>- ^I? 16? A. Ill, 8. Scales, 20- 

 95-x. Length, 16 inches. 



Body more robust than in any other of our species, its greatest 

 breadth If in the depth. Head very large, unusually broad, anteriorly 

 obtuse, its profile depressed or slightly concave above the eye, convex 

 at the nape. Snout very short, 4| in head ; lower jaw projecting. Mouth 

 large, the maxillary, even in the young, reaching much beyond the 

 eye, 2 in head. Teeth in broad bands, those of the outer series some- 

 what enlarged, the canines very small, scarcely differentiated, but pres- 

 ent. Eye verj^ small, 7 in head (in young). Interorbital area flattish, 

 very broad, its width 5 in head. Nostrils subequal, roundish, close to 

 the eye. Preopercle convex, with a slight emargination, the angle a 

 little prominent, with somewhat larger teeth. Opercular spines small 

 and blunt. Gill-rakers short and thick, few (about 12) in number. 



Scales comparatively large, mostly ctenoid. Scales of the lateral line, 

 each with 4 to 6 conspicuous radiating ridges separated by furrows. 



Dorsal spines low and strong, the third, fourth, and fifth subequal, -4 

 iu head, the outline of the [fin] scarcely convex ; second spine lower than 



