1208 Bulleti?i 4"/, United States Natiotial Museum. 



South Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States on rocky or sandy 

 shores. Length about a foot, (formosus, handsome.) 



Peica formom, LiNNJEUS, Syst. Nat., Ed. xii, 488,1766, Carolina (Coll. Dr. Garden, ; Gjiei.in, 

 Syst. Nat., 1322, 1788 (copied), and of the copyists; partly confused with Hismulon plnmieri, 

 to which species some of the early references belong. 



Epinephehis s/ri«(HS, Bloch, Ichthyologia, pi. 330, 1793, Jamaica (not Anlliias striilux^ Bloih, 

 which 13 really an Epinephehis.) 



Serramis radians, QuoY & Gaimard, Voy. de I'Uranio, Poiss., 313, pi. !')S, fig. 2, 1824, Monte- 

 video (?); BouLENGER, Cat., I, 295. 



Serraniisirradians, Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., ii, 244, 1828, Montevideo. 



Serramis /oscicii/ari.s, CuviER & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., ii, 245, pi. 30,1828, Brazil; 

 also IX, 431, 1833; Jordan & Gilueut, Synopsis, 534, 1883. 



Cenlropristis radians, GuNTHER, Cat., I, 83, 1859. 



Centroxmstisfascicularis, Guntheii, Cat., i, 83, 1859. 



Diphclrnmfasciculare, IIolbrook, Ichth. S. Carolina, 35,1860; Poey, Synopsis, 282, 1868. 



Diplecirmn radians, Poey, Enumeralio, 23, 1875. 



Sen-amis formosus, Jordan, Proc. II. S. Nat. Mus., 1884, 35. 



Diplectmm fw-mosum, Jordan & Eigenmann, /. c, 397, pi. 65, 180O. 



511. PRIONODES, Jenyns. 



(Serranos.) 



Prionodes, Jenyns, Voyage of the Beagle : Fishes, 16, 1840, (fasciiUus). 

 Menliperca, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Soi. Phila., ISl'.J, 2'X, {liicioin-rcauus). 



Body oblong, moderately compressed, covered with moderate-sized, 

 ctenoid scales. Lateral line normal in direction, not running close to the 

 back. Cranium above Avith a very large convex smooth area, which is 

 longer than the low supraorbital crest; supraoccipital and parietal crests 

 short, extending to a line connecting borders of the preopercle ; posterior 

 outline of cranium nearly vertical in profile ; mouth large, the maxillary 

 not scaly and without supplemental bone; canines small, lateral; no 

 depressible teeth in jaws; teeth always present on vomer and palatines.* 

 Gill rakers usually few. Branch iostegals 7. Dorsal with 10 rather slen- 

 der spines, either subequal or one of them much produced; the fin not 

 deeply notched, the soft portion short, of 11 to 13 rays and nearly or quite 

 destitute of scales ; anal short, with slender spines ; caudal lunate or 

 truncate. Ventrals not very close together, inserted somewhat in advance 

 of pectorals, as in Ceniroprlsies and Diplectrum. Vertebr;e 10 + 14 — 24. 

 Species of small size, probably all American, closely allied to the Old 

 World genus Serranits, from which they are distinguished by the short, 

 naked, soft dorsal, the anterior insertion of the ventrals, and the smaller 

 teeth. The type of Serramts (Serranus cabrilla) has the lateral line running 

 very high, following the outline of the back. The subgenus Serranellus 

 (Serramis scriba)is intermediate, having the long soft dorsal and strong 

 dentition of Serranus, with the lateral line and general appearance of 

 Frionoden, the ventral fins longer and closer together, and inserted much 

 farther back; the skull is essentially similar in Prioiivdc8, Dulen, and 

 Serranua. {ivpiuv, saw; «(5of, resemblance, from the resemblance to Serraiiui) — 

 serra, saw.) 



* Not wanting, as stated by Jenyns, who perhaps Lad au injured or imperfect specimen. 



