Jordan ayid Everman n . — Fishes of North. A merica . 1329 



545. POMADASIS, Lacepede. 

 (Burros.) 



Pomadasis, Lacepkde, Hist. Nat. Poias., iv, 516, 1803 (argenteus). 

 Let pristipomes, Cuvier, Regne Animal, Ed. 1, 279, 1817 (Iiasta, etc.). 

 Pristipoma, Oken, Isis, 1817 (hasta). 



Pristipoina, Cu\'iEK, Eegne Animal, Ed. 2, ii, 176, 1829 {hasta, etc.). 

 Phencus, Jordan & Evermann, Clieck-List, 387, 1896 (2)anamemis). 

 Phonciscus, Jordan & Evermann, Check-Li.st, 387, 1890 (crocro). 



Body oblong, somewhat compressed, the back not mnch elevated ; mouth 

 rather small, terminal, low, the lips thin ; maxillary usually not extendino- 

 to opposite the eye, its tip not reaching the posterior edge of the broad 

 preorbital; premaxillaries protractile; teeth on jaws only, in villiform 

 bands, subequal, or the outer series in upper jaw more or less enlarged; 

 no red on the jaws; a central groove behind the symphysis of the lower 

 jaw; cheeks and opercles scaly; preopercle rather distinctly serrate, the 

 serra? below not turned forward; suprascapula serrate; scales large, those 

 above lateral line in series parallel with it; no small scales at base of 

 the others; soft dorsal and anal fins naked, or with a very few scales 

 at base; dorsal tin emarginate, the spines strong, 11 to 13 in number, the 

 soft rays 11 to 14; anal fin of 7 or 8 soft rays, short, with the second spine 

 always verj- strong; gill rakers feeble, few in number; caudal lunate, 

 forked. This genus is composed of small shore fishes, some of its repre- 

 sentatives being found iu most tropical seas. Several of the species enter 

 fresh waters, and perhaps belong to the bracki.sh- water fauna. Numerous 

 species are found on the west coast of Africa and about the Cape Verde 

 Islands, but so far as known none enters Euroiiean waters. {Tr&jiia, oper- 

 culum; da6vs, rough, hence more correctly written Pomadasys.) 



Rhenchus CpeyKoq, or 'poyKo^, snoring, lience Ponchiis, Ponco, Poncadnr): 



a. Teeth in both jaws in villiform bands, the outer series not at all enlarged; preo- 

 percle with weak serrature.s ; dorsal spines 12. 

 b. Third dorsal spine produced, much longer than the others, about half length of 

 head; second anal spine somewhat shorter ; profile con-vex ; scales nearly 

 smooth ; pectoral fin very long, as long as head. Color silvery, lower flna 

 white; a distinct dark blotcli on opercle and a fainter one on sides below 

 spinous dorsal. Body rather robust. panamensis, 1699. 



aa. Teeth in both jaws in villiform bands, those in the outer series in the upper jaw 

 more or less enlarged ; preopercle sharply serrate ; caudal fin lunate or trun- 

 cate, the lobes short. 



PRISTIPOMA (TrpiVrlJ?, saw; Tri/ua, operculum): 



c. Dorsal spines XII; preorbital broad. 



d. Mouth large, maxillary reaching to anterior third of eye, about 2j in 

 head. 

 e. Scales rather small, 8-56-20. Body elongate-elliptical, compressed, 

 somewhat elevated at nape; anterior profile straight from nape 

 to end of snout; snout produced, blunt, rounded; dorsal spines 

 low, the longest 2| in head ; second anal spine very long, Ij in 

 head; pectoral short, not reaching vent. Coloration uniform. 



bayanus, 1700. 

 ee. Scales still smaller, 65 in a longitudinal series; body elongate; maxil- 

 lary extending a little beyond front of eye; anal spines strong, 

 the second three-fourths the depth of body. Color nearly plain ; 

 silvery below. PEODUCTUS, 1701. 



