Jordan and Evermann. — Fishes of JVorth A^nerica. 1126 



head. Coloration olive; sides silvery; black shades on vertical fins, 

 especially behind anal spines. Lateral line brown; ventrals pale. (Vail- 

 lant «fc Boconrt.) Coast of Brazil, north to Belize; evidently very close 

 to Centropomiis ensifenn:!, to which Dr. Bonlenger refers it. (affinis, related, 

 to Centropomus undedmalis.) 



Centropomus affiyth, Steindachner, Ichth. Notizen, I, pi. 1, fig. 1, 18C4, Rio Janeiro and 

 Cajutuba, Brazil; Demerara, (Coll. Johann Natterer); Vaillant <Sr Bocoubt, Miss. Sci. 

 Hex., 31, pi. 1, fig 1. 



Centropomus t^caher, Bocourt, Aiiu. Sci. Nat., 5 Ser., i.x, 90, 1SC8, marshes of Belize. (Coll. 

 Bocourt). 



1528. CENTROPOMUS ENSIFERUS, Poey. 



Head 2*; depth 4; eye 6i in head. D. VIII-1, 10; A. Ill, 6; scales 7-53-11, 

 pores 48. Preorbital coarsely serrated ; subopercular flap extending to 

 vertical from origin of dorsal. Maxillary scarcely extending to below 

 middle of orbit. Dorsal spines of moderate strength, the third and 

 fourth longest, | as long as head; second anal spine exceedingly strong, 

 much stronger than third, 1? times depth of body, much longer than 

 dorsal spines ; ventral somewhat more than ^ the distance of its base 

 from anal. Silvery; dorsal fin, a blotch on the opercle, and the mem- 

 brane between the anal spines blackish ; lateral line not black. Air 

 bladder simple. Length about a foot. West Indies; generally common 

 from Cuba to Surinam; also found on the Pacific Coast, if C. rohaVito is 

 the same, which is not iinlikely. {ensis, sword ; fcro, I bear.) 



Centropomus eusifertts, PoEY, Memorias, II, 122, 1860, Havana; Gunther, Fishes Central Amer., 



408, 1869; Boulengeu, Cat., i, 360. 

 .* Centropomus brevis* GC'NTHer, Proc. Zoiil. Soc. Loud., 1SC4, 144, locality unknown. 



For the sake of completeness, we add the description of the only remain- 

 ing species of this genus which is known to us : 



Centropomus constanihius, Jordan & Starks, new species. — Head 2f 

 depth 3i ; eye 5 in Head ; snout 3^ ; interorbital f eye ; D. VIII-I, 10 

 A. Ill, 6; scales 10-67-13. Posterior half of preorbital rather strongly 

 retrorse-serrate; anterior portion entire; maxillary extending to below 

 the middle of orbit, 2^ in head ; subopercular flap extending nearly to 

 within 4 scales of the vertical from the origin of dorsal. Gill rakers 

 4 4-9; 21 series of scales befoiQ first dorsal. Third and fourth dorsal 

 spines equal, about half as long as head; second anal spine longer and 

 much stronger than third, li^ in head ; third longer than soft rays ; ven- 

 trals long, li in head, nearly reaching vent, their length not quite equal 

 to distance from their tips to anal. Air bladder with very short, blunt 

 anterior appendages, which are not more than half the length of the 

 pupil. Pectorals 2 in head; caudal short, with roundish lobes, 2 in 

 head. Olive; sides silvery; lateral line dusky; head pale; ventrals 

 pale; tips of dorsal and membrane behind anal spines blackish. Allied 



* Centropomus hrevis, Gunther: Head 2y,; depth 3'^. P. VIII-I, 10; A. IIT, 6; scales 8-oO-X. 

 Maxillary reaching to middle of eve; Buhorbital stronglj- toothed; lobe of subopercle reaching 

 beyond front of dorsal. Vent much nearer anal than ventrals. Dorsal si>ine3 strong, the third 

 equal to distance from chin to posterior border of eye; second anal spine strong, I'oinhead, 

 greater than depth of body; third anal spino much shorter. Air bladder simple. Lateral line 

 pale; lo«'er fins pale Locality unknown. (Giinther.) This may be a species distinct from 

 Centropomus ensiferus. having deeper body and smaller scales. Its validity is, however, very 

 doubtful. Dr. i^oulenger, who has examined its type, as well as specimens certainly refer- 

 able to robalilo (Presidio, Forrer), to oima/tis (Panama, Salviu), and en,«i/<riis (Jamaica), regards 

 them all as identical. C. annatus ia certainly valid, but tho others may all be identical with 

 ensifems. 



