Jordan and Evermann. — Fishes of North America. 1173 



second spine about as long as tenth, the highest 3 in head; caudal fin 

 lunate, the inner rays \\ in outer, which are \\ in head ; anal rounded, 

 rather low, the longest rays 2i in head; pectorals reaching well beyond 

 tips of ventrals, 2 in head. Pyloric cceca 15 to 20 (Poey.) Color in life 

 (adult): Clear olive green, livid bluish or pearly below (grayish below 

 in spirits) ; upper parts marked everywhere with broad reticulations, 

 and curved blotches of bright, clear light green; these reticulations 

 most distinct on the upper part of the head ; a greenish blotch on 

 shoulder before dorsal ; entire body and head covered with round 

 orange-brown spots (becoming brown in spirits) about as large as the 

 nostrils, the centers darkest ; these spots largest and least numerous 

 above ; angle of mouth orange within ; iris orange ; breast slightly rosy, 

 grayish in spirits ; dorsal olive brown, with whitish blotches and a very 

 few dark spots; soft dorsal, anal, caudal, and ventrals broadly edged 

 with blackish, the caudal Avith more spots, these fins otherwise colored 

 like the dorsal fin ; pectoral olivaceous, its tip yellow, its base spotted. 

 Length 3 feet. Bahamas, Florida Keys, and southward ; generally com- 

 mon in rocky places ; here described from a specimen from Key West. 

 (venenosus, venemous, the flesh being sometimes poisonous.) 



Perca marina renenosa, the Rockfish, Catesby, Nat. Hist. Fishes Carolina, etc., ii, tab. 5, 1743, 



Bahamas. 

 Perca renenosa, Lij)N.s;us, Syst. Nat., Ed. x, 1758, 292, Bahamas; after Catesdy. 

 Serranus jpetrosus, Poey, Memorias, ll, 136, 1800. Havana. 



Mycleroperca renenosa, Jordan & Swain, I. c, 373, 1884; Jordan & Eigenmann, I. c, 369, 1890. 

 Ti-isolropis petrosns, Jordan & Gilbert, Synopsis, 918, 1883. 

 Epinephelus venenosus, Boulengek, Cat., i, 259. 



Represented in deep water by the red form or subspecies 



1563a. MYCTEKOPERCA VENENOSA APIA (Bloch). 

 (BoNACi Cardenai-.) 



Head2|; depth 3; eye small, 5i in head (young). D. XI, 16; A. IIT, 11; 

 scales 24-121-x. Body rather short and deep, rather strongly compressed. 

 Head rather bluntish, the anterior profile rather strongly and regularly 

 arched ; mouth rather large, the maxillary reaching past the eye, 2i in 

 head (in young). Lower jaw projecting, but rather less prominent than 

 usual in Mijcteroperca. Teeth moderate, in rather narrow bands ; both 

 jaws with 2 moderate canines in front, the upper larger and not directed 

 forward. Nostrils close together, subequal. Interorbital space flattish 

 or slightly concave, its width 6 in head. Preopercle without salient 

 angle, its emargination very slight, the teeth below the notch slightly 

 enlarged. Scales rather small, chiefly cycloid. Dorsal spines not very 

 slender, the second spine as long as tenth ; the third and fourth highest, 

 3^ in head ; caudal fin slightly lunate, the outer rays a little longer than 

 inner, If in head; anal rather high, somewhat rounded, the longest rays 

 If in head; pectorals about reaching tips of ventrals. If in head. Th^ 

 color varies much with age and probably also with the depth of water: 



(a) Color in life of an adult example about 2* feet in length : Very dark 

 everywhere, sparsely covered with round spots, which are black on the 



