1887.] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 615 



NOTE ON THE GRAMMA LORETO OF POEY. 



By THEODORE: ClTI.f.. 



I. 



In 1868 Professor Poey described a new generic type of fishes under 

 the name Gramma loreto, and referred it to the fiimily Percidw and sub- 

 family Liitjanuii, next to Mesoprion (Lufjanus). 



In 1871 Professor Poey detached the genus Gramma from the family 

 Percidm* and described it in an appendix to that family. He did not 

 indicate his views as to its relationship, but noticed a resemblance to 

 the Pomacentrids, from which, however, it was said to differ in the sep- 

 aration of the lower pharyngeal bones. 



In 1875 the same naturalist, in the preliminary list of families and 

 genera of his "Enumeratio Piscium Cnbensium" (p. 5), retained 

 Gramma in the family Percidw, but as " incerta^ sedis." 



In 1875 Dr. von Bleeker referred the genus to the family " Pseudo- 

 chromidoidei^^ and subfamily " Cichlopsini.^^ 



In 1887 Professor Jordan created a new family name for the genus 

 {Grammidw), which he interposed between the Lohotidw and Sparida'. 



I had come to a similar conclusion as Ur. Bleeker long before the ap- 

 pearance of his articles, as to the family relationship of Gramma, although 

 inclined to refer it nearer to the Plesiopinw than the Ckhlopvuc. Had 

 Professor Jordan been aware of this view as to its relationship, he would 

 probably have adopted it. In order that the question may be opened and 

 investigated, I call attention to these facts, and add references to the 

 notice and descriptions of the Gramma loreto and the family Pseudochro- 

 mididw. That family urgently needs investigation. Nothing is known 

 of the anatomy of the various genera that have been referred to, and it 

 may be that it is not a homogeneous one. Dr. Gilnther and his followers 

 have indeed widely separated its constituents and have associated them 

 with forms with which they have apparently little affinity. If we may 

 judge by appearances, however, and the gradation in the proportions of 

 the spinous and rayed portions of the dorsal, the genera referred to the 

 family by Bleeker appear to be at least related, but whether as members 

 of one family or of two remains to be ascertained. The resolution of 

 such questions would be a boon to ichthyology. Unfortunately the 

 poverty of collections accessible to me prevents my own investigation 

 into the matter. 



* J'en ai d6tacb6 aussi les genres Ceiitropomm et Bhypticm coiumo types de families 

 distinctes; et les geures auomaux de Giiiither {I. c, p. 51), Pogonoperca et Prionodes, 

 ainsi qne mon genre Gramma, non raoins anomal. Voyez les observations de Mr. Gill, 

 Proc. Phil., 1861, p. 46. (Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist., N. Y., v. 10, pp. 32, 3.3.) 



