PROCEEDINGS OF UmTED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 395 



26. Alphestes pictus. 



Plectropoma pictum, Tschudi, Fauna Peruana, p. 5, 1844 (coast of Peru) ; 

 Giintlier, i, 164, IS.ig (copied). 



Habitat. — Coast of Peru. 



Kdowii only from the description of Tschudi. In color, at least, it 

 seems to diiier from A. 7nultiguttatus, which it approaches in other re- 

 spects. 



The following is the substance of Tschudi's original descrii^tion : 



D. XI, 17; A. Ill, 9. Depth, 24 in length. Head, 3. Eye half length 

 of lower jaw. Cleft of mouth extending to below middle of eye. On 

 angle of preopercle is a thin broad tooth directed forward ; before it 

 one longer and stronger. Teeth of ascending limb of preopercle sharper, 

 upward and more distinctly separated. Fourth dorsal spine longest. 

 Caudal convex. Anal rounded. Second anal spine louger than third. 

 Ventrals extending slightly beyond tips of pectorals. 



Ground color silvery white, with irregular markings of bright rose- 

 color. 



Eare on the coast of Middle Peru; more common in Chili. Often 

 seen in the markets of Valparaiso. 



27. Alphestes multiguttatus. 



Plectropoma viultiguttatum, Giintber, Proc. Zool. Soc, London, 1866, 600 



(Panama). 

 Alphestes multiguttatus, Jordan & Gilbert, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., 1882, 107, 



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



1882, 375. 

 Epinephelus multiguttatus, Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1882, 625 



(Panama). 

 Plectropoma afrum, Giinther, Fishes Centr. Amer., 1869., 411 (Panama). 



Habitat. — Pacific coast of tropical America. 



Head, 2| (3); depth, 2^ (3^). D. XI, IC; A. Ill, 9: Scales, 13-80-x. 

 Length (29519, Panama), 7^ inches. 



Body oblong ovate, compressed. Head small, slender, and pointed, 

 the profile nearly straight ffom the snout to behind the eye, where is 

 formed a considerable angle; the outline thence steeper, but still nearly 

 straight to the front of the dorsal fin. Snout very short, rather pointed, 

 5^ in head. Mouth small, oblique, the maxillary not reaching to pos- 

 terior margin of eye, its length 2f in head. Teeth small ; small ca- 

 nines present in upper jaw only. Lower jaw rather strongly project- 

 ing. Eye large, 4^ in head. Interorbital space very narrow, convex, its 

 width 10 in head. Preopercle strongly convex ; the angle not salient, 

 but armed with sharp radiating serrse. 



Below the angle is a strong flatfish spine directed downwards and 

 forwards, as in A. afer. Nostrils small, round, close together, sub- 

 equal. Gill-rakers moderate, about 14 on lower limb of arch. 



Scales not very small, mostly cycloid ; those on opercles somewhat 

 enlarged. 



