Jordan and Evcrmann. — Fishes of North America. 2159 



with no very distinct markings ; caudal fiu yellowish, marked at base with 

 dusky, its tip black; pectorals mostly l)lack; lower fins pale. In life the 

 type was chiefly pinkish red, which color still persists on the inside of 

 opercles. Deep waters of Gulf of Mexico, known only from the '' spewings" 

 of Red Groupers, on the Snapper Banks off Tamjja Bay and Pensacola. 

 Length of type 6^ inches, {roseus, rose red. ) 



Prionotus scituhis, Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1882, L'88, mutilated specimen 



from Pensacola ; not type. 

 Prionotus roseus, Jordan &. Evebmann, Proc. II. S. Nat. Mus. 1880, 470, off Tampa Bay, 



Florida. (Type, No. 37989 ; Coll. Cbas. H. Bollman.) 



2487. PRIOXOTUS ALATITS, Goode & Bean. 



Head2i; depth 4. D.X-12; A. 11; caudal 3-7 + 5-4; pectoral 13 + 3; 

 ventrals I, 5; lateral line about 100; tube-bearing scales about 50. Body 

 normal in form, rather robust ; its greatest width ^ its greatest length 

 without caudal; least height of tail contained 12 times, or nearly so, in 

 the standard body length, and 3 times in height of body. The num- 

 ber of rows of scales, counting diagonally around the body from origin of 

 anal, is 21 below and 7 above the lateral line. Width of head eqiial to its 

 height; upper limb of orbit encroaching upon the upper profile of head, 

 the center of the pupil equidistant from tip of snout and tip of the pro- 

 longed preopercular spine ; length of snout measured obliquely from ante- 

 rior margin of orbit equal to that of the postorbital portion of head to 

 end of opercular spine; a robust spine at lower angle of iireoperculum, 

 curving slightly upward, the length equal to that of first dorsal ray; 

 this spine serrated upon its outer edge, and with a small spine at its 

 base Avhich is also serrated; the tip of the spine extending to perpen- 

 dicular from center of the interspace between third and fourth dorsal 

 spines, while that of the humeral spine extends to the perpendicular 

 from the interspace between the fourth and fifth, and that of the oper- 

 cular to the perpendicular from the center of liase of third; a strong- 

 scapular spine extends back to the posterior edge of the second dorsal 

 spine. Length of upper jaw equal to i that of head. Palatine teeth 

 in shoi't feeble bands, hardly perceptible, even with a strong magni- 

 fying glass. Gill rakers 6, besides several rudimentary ones, 5 being 

 below the angle, and the longest equal in length to ^ diameter of eye. 

 First dorsal fin inserted above tip of upper opercular spine and at a dis- 

 tance from snout ec^ual to twice length of the fourth dorsal spine, height 

 of first dorsal spine, which is equal to that of the third and slightly less 

 than that of the second, equal to + length of head, its anterior margin 

 strongly serrated, while those of the second and third spines are less 

 markedly so; length of base of first dorsal equal to greatest height of 

 body; the distance between its insertion and that of second dorsal fin 

 equal to the length of the longest and superior detached pectoral ray; 

 second dorsal fin inserted in the perpendicular over the interspace between 

 the second and third anal rays, the length of its longest ray equaling twice 

 the least height of tail, and the length of its base equaling the greatest 



