Jordan and Evermann. — Fishes of North America. 1265 



which are 1^ in head ; margin of anal strongly angulate, the middle rays 

 reaching nearly to base of caudal, 2i length of last ray, 1* in head ; the 

 first ray reaches about to middle of last ray when the fin is depressed; 

 anal spines strong, the second scarcely as long as third, 4 in head; 

 ventrals 1* in head; pectorals reaching to front of anal fin, 1^ in head. 

 Color in life, deep rose-red, paler on throat; bluish streaks along rows of 

 scales, above becoming fainter and disappearing with age; fins brick-red; 

 dorsal bordered with orange, with a narrow blackish edge; caudal nar- 

 rowly edged with blackish ; eye red ; a large blackish blotch above lateral 

 line and below front rays of soft dorsal in young specimens, this spot dis- 

 appearing with age; axil of pectoral dusky. Length 2 to 2* feet. De- 

 scribed from a specimen from off Key West, 16 inches in length. Loug 

 Island to Brazil, on rocky banks in rather deep water; especially abund- 

 ant in the Gulf of Mexico off Cape San Bias and about Yucatan. The 

 most valuable food-fish of the genus in the waters of the United States; 

 taken in great numbers off Pensacola and Key West. On the American 

 coast it is known everywhere as "red snapper" or to the Spaniards as 

 imrgo Colorado. In Havana it bears the name pargo (juach'mango, "Mex- 

 ican Snapper," because it is brought to that city from the Mexican coast. 

 According to Poey it is comparatively rare in Cuban waters, although 

 daily seen in the markets. Specimens from Rio Janeiro examined by us 

 seem to be identical with the common red snapper. Occasionally straying 

 north to Woods Hole. (From the Portuguese name, Acara aya.) 



Acara aya, Mahcgrave, Hist. Brasil., 167, 168, 1648, Brazil. 



Bodianus aya, Bloch, Ichth., 227, 1790, Brazil; after Mahcgrave. 



Bodianus ruber, Bloch & Schneu)EB, Syst. Ichth., 330, 1801, Brazil; based on Maec- 



GKAVE. 



Mesoprion campechanus, Poey, Memorias, ii, 149, 1860, Campeche. 



Lutjanus blackfordi, Goode & Bean, Proc. TJ. S. Nat. Mua. 1878, 176, Pensacola (Type, 



No. 21330. Coll. Silas Steams) ; Jordan & Gilbert, Synopsis, 549. 

 Lutjanus campechianus, Poey, Synopsis, 294, 1868; Jordan & Gilbert, Synopsis, 921. 

 Lutjamit aya, Goode, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., v, 55, 1876 ; Jordan & Feslee, I. c, 447. 

 Lutjanus vivanus, Jordan & Swain, I. c, 453; not type. 



1641. ?fEOM.E]VIS AlVALIS (Cuvier & Valenotennes). 



(MUTTONFISH ; PARGO; PARGO CRIOLLO.) 



Head 2|; depth 2|. D. X, 14; A. Ill, 8; scales (7) 10-67-17, pores 51. 

 Body rather deep and compressed, the back rather strongly elevated, pro- 

 file steep and nearly straight from snout to nape ; snout rather long and 

 pointed, 2| in head ; eye rather small, 5f in head in specimens a foot in 

 length; interorbital space gently convex, 5| in head; occipital keel mod- 

 erate; preorbital very broad, its least width 4 in head; mouth moderate; 

 maxillary scarcely reaching front of orbit, 2f in head; upper jaw with a 

 narrow band of villiforni teeth, outside of which is a single series of larger 

 but small teeth; 6 rather strong canines in front, 4 of them larger, about 

 equaling in length I diameter of pupil; lower jaw with a narrow viUi- 

 form band in front only and a series of larger teeth outside ; these unequal, 

 largest on side of jaw, some of them almost caninelike; tongue with 

 a single very small patch of teeth on its middle, this wanting in young 



