Jordan and Evermann. — Fishes of Noyth America. 1745 



immovable; both jaws entire; nasal tube simple, with 2 lateral open- 

 ings. Pectorals broad, their margin undulate, the upper lobe longest; 

 vertical fins rounded, the dorsal and anal short, posteriorly inserted, sim- 

 ilar to each other. Tropical seas ; the few species very widely distributed. 

 (5zs, two; 680VC,, tooth.) 



a. Spines terete. 



6. Frontal spines not as long as poat-pectoral spines (in adults not J as 

 long, about as long as eye; ; predorsal spines very short, S-rooteil, flsed or 

 nearly so; 20 spines in a series between snout and dorsal; postpcctoral 

 spines very much elongate, especially in the adult, shorter in the young; 

 dorsal rays 15; anal 15; upper lobe of pectoral little longer th.an lower. 

 Adult above everywhere covered with round black spots, tliese largest in 

 front of dorsal, smallest on naked area about month; white below; fins pro- 

 fusely spotted with black ; young with fewer spots, but never with large 

 blotches. HYSTRix, 2162. 



hh. Frontal spines long, usually longer than post-pectoral spines, about twice as 

 long as eye in adult ; predorsal spines not shortened, 2-rooted, erectile; 14 

 to 17 spines in a series between snout and dorsal ; post-pectoral spines not 

 especially elongate, their development variable ; dorsal rays iisu.-iUy 12; anal 

 12; pectoral broader than long, its upper lobe pointed, lower lobe rounded. 

 Body marked with black spots and blotches irregular in size, usually a 

 broad black bar from eye to eye, continued below eye as a narrow bar; 

 a broad bar across occiput ; a black blotch above each pectoral ; a short bar 

 in front of dorsal ; another in which the dorsal is inserted ; a blotch behind 

 pectoral, and many small spots and blotches on upper parts ; fins with few 

 spots, usually unmarked in the young. holacanthus, 2163. 



an. " Spines compressed laterally, sliort; 15 spines in a series between snout and dorsal; 

 upper parts covered with round spots, those about pectorals sometimes con- 

 fluent into a blotch ; fins immaculate.'" MACULIFER, 2164. 



2102. DIODON HYSTRIX, Linnseus. 



(Porcupine-fish ; Erizo; Puebco Espino.) 



Head 3; depth 3^. D. 13 to 1.5; A. 13 to 15. Spines .strong, dilated at 

 base, with a pair of basal grooves; frontal spines not as long as post- 

 pectoral spines (in adults not \ as long, about as long as eye) ; post- 

 pectoral spines longer than any others, especially in the adult, usually 

 altout as long as pectoral fin, those of the posterior part of back and 

 tail short and broad, 3-rooted, and therefore not erectile ; predorsal spines 

 very short, 3-rooted, fixed or nearly so; about 20 spines in a series 

 between snout and dorsal; upper lobe of pectoral little longer than 

 lower; upper and lower part of tail with 2 or 3 pairs of 3-rooted, im- 

 movable, recumbent spines. Adult above everywhere covered with small 

 round black spots, these largest in front of dorsal, smallest on naked 

 area about mouth ; white below ; fins all more or less spotted m the adult, 

 nearly plain in the young. Length about 3 feet. Tropical seas; every- 

 where common; north to Lower California, Florida, and the Hawaiian 

 Islands; abundant in collections, being stuifed and dried as a curiosity; 

 not used as food, {hijstrix, the porcupine.) 



Orbis echinatus, Eondelet, De Piscibus, 324, 1558, Northern Ocean. 

 Ovamajacu guara, Marcgrave, Hist. Nat. Bras., 159, 1648, Brazil. 

 Ostracion conico oblongut, Artedi, Genera, 60, No. 19,1738. 



