Jordan and Evermann. — Fishes of North America. 1587 



Clepiicus genizara, Cuvier, Regne Animal, Ed. ii, Vol. 2, 2C1, 1829, Havana; after ParrA; 

 CuviER & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., xiii, 367, pi. 377, 1839; Guntheb, Cat., iv- 

 112, 1862; Poey, Synopsis, 332, 1868; JORDAN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1886, 45; Jordan. 

 Review Labroid Fishes, 635, 1890. 



635. IRIDIC, .lordau & Everuiaun. 



(DONCELLAS.) 



Ichthiicallus, Jordan, Review Labroid Fishes, 638, 1890 (ditiiidiata); not of Swainson, as 



properly restricted = Coris. 

 Iridio, Jordan & Evermann, Check-List, 412, 1896 (radiatus). 



Body oblong, compressed, not elevated, covered with large scales, there 

 being 25 to 30 in the course of the lateral line, vrhich is not intevrnpted, 

 but abruptly bent posteriorly. Scales on breast rather smaller. Head 

 naked, compressed, conic. Preopercle entire. Teeth large, the upper jaw 

 with 2 strong canines in front, none of them bent backward; lower jaw 

 with 4 anterior canines, a posterior canine tooth directed forward on each 

 side of the upper jaw. Dorsal spines 9; anal spines 3, graduated; ven- 

 trals inserted under axil of pectoral. Gill rakers short and feeble; gill 

 membranes slightly joined to a narrow isthmus. Vertebr;e 10 + 15 = 25. 

 Species numerous, most of them brilliantly colored, abounding in kelp in 

 the tropical seas. All of them are American. The genus is very close to 

 the Old Workl genus HaUchares,' differing chiefly in the dentition and in 

 the presence of 3 anal spines instead of 2. (Iris, ipi<;, the rainbow.) 



a. Caudal fln very slightly concave, truncate when spread open, the outer rays longer 



th.an the middle ones ; body deep and compressed, the depth about 2i in length ; 



ventral tins filamentous, the outer ray produced, more than twice as long as inner 



ray ; scales before dorsal not crossing the middle line, in about 5 series. 



h Side below spinous dorsal without dark cross bar; general color bluish (d), or 



bronze ($), with many sky-blue spots, most distinct posteriorly ; sky-blue 



spots and streaks on head; a stripe passing through the upper part of eye; 



tins with blue stripes; a dark axillary spot; end of pectoral dusky. 



radiatus, 1995. 



*Balichoeres, ROppell. Neue Wirbelthiere, Fische, 16, 1835 {bimaculatus, etc.), not 



Halichaerus, NiLSSON. 1820, a genus of seals. 



Chaerojutts, Gill, Proc. Ac, Nat. Sci, Phila. 1862, 142 ; substitute for Halichceres. 



The American species hitherto referred to Halichceres or to Platyglosxus seem to consti- 

 tute a distinct genus (Iridio) characterized by the incisors J, and tlie presence of 3 anal 

 spines. The numerous species are all American, those of Halichceres being confined to 

 tlio East Indies. „ , „, , , 



We also recognize as a genus distinct from Halichceres, the group called Flatyglossus by 

 Bleeker (type marginatun) . , . , 



The dorsal in PlaUiglossus has a scaly sheath at its base somewhat as in the genus 

 Harpe. The antirior canines in Flatyglossus are ». In Guntheria Bleeker (coerideocit- 

 lata), HdnihiiitiKia I'.liuker (cenUqiiadra), there are 2 rows of small scales on the cheeks, 

 as W(!ll as on t li,- oiicrclis above. In Macropharyngodon Bleeker (geoffroyi), the strongest 

 marked of the vitrions genera of Bleeker, which Giinther has united with Flatyglossus 

 and Halichwres, the lower pharvngeals are very small, provided with but 3 teeth, of which 

 th(! middle one is quite large, In Macropharyngodon the canines are small, A in number. 

 All the American species here referred to Iridio have the anterior canines j. The Ea^t 

 Indian species have the teeth S, except in 2 or 3 species, in which the teeth are *. In Hali- 

 chceres the usual number of anal spines is 2. The name Ichthy callus should not be used 

 for this genus. Jordan & Hughes remark (Proc. I'. S. Nat. Mus. 1886, 57) : "The generic 

 names, ChlorichthySAuA Ichthycalhisof i^^vumson, based in part on species of Flatyglossus, 

 but distinguished by imaginary characters and including species of earlier genera, have 

 been very properly set aside by Dr. Gill as synonyms of Goris and Julis" (Thalassoma) . 

 A similar view has been taken by Dr. Swain, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1882, 27o. Swam 

 remarks: " Chlorichthi/s and lehthycallus, confused jumbles of species, may well be con- 

 sidered as synonyms of Thalassoma and Coris, respectively, although several genera are 

 represented in each." 



