1218 Bulletifi 42, United States National Museum. 



American. ((JovAof , a slave, the fish being under the lash of the long dor- 

 sal spine, t) 



a. Third dorsal spine not longer than fourth, 3 in head; second anal spine considerably longer 

 than third, about 2^4 in head; lo\v<^r jaw little projecting; gill rakers elmrt and few, 

 6 or 8 in number; jaws scaleless; soft dorsal with small scales; pectoral long, reaching 

 anal. Color brown, with darker cross shades; soft dorsal, anal, and caudal fins check- 

 ered with blackish on a while ground; a broad white area or bar before anal fin. 

 h. Dorsal rays x, 13; head small, acuminate; pectoral fin finely barred with black and 

 whitish, precisely like the caudal fin; a very conspicuous inky-black blotch on 

 front of soft dorsal (at least in young specimens), this being a continuation of one 

 of the bars on the body; a black ring about tail at base of caudal, before which are 

 G or 7 dark bars, becoming progressively broader and fainter forward; lower parts 

 of head with a conspicuous network of dark streaks. subligarius, 1605. 



66. Dorsal rays x, 12; head less slender; pectorals red; inky blotch on soft dorsal small 

 or obsolete; dusky bars on body distinct. nispiLunrs, 1606. 



aa. Third dorsal spine in the adult male greatly elevated, reaching past middle of soft dorsal, 

 its length quite variable ; second anal spine as long as third, 2g in head; lower jaw 

 prominent; gill rakers 10 to 12 below arch; pectoral shorter than head; brownish, 

 lower parts with light and dark shades; fins clouded. aurioa, 1607. 



1605. DULES SUBLIGARIUS (Cope). 



Head 2^; depth 2f ; eye rather large, 4 in head. D. X, 13; A. Ill, 7; 

 scales about 6-42-17. Body rather deep, compressed, the back elevated, 

 the anterior profile nearly straight. Head long and low, slender, acumi- 

 nate, its depth at middle of eye but half its length in the smaller speci- 

 men, in the larger proportionately deeper. Mouth rather small, lower 

 jaw scarcely projecting; maxillary reaching to posterior margin of pupil, 

 its length 2^ in head; teeth small, the canines little developed, those on 

 sides of lower jaw largest. Preorbital and interorbital space very narrow. 

 Edge of preopercle subequally and rather sharply serrate ; none of the 

 teeth directed forward. Gill rakers short, rather few. Scales on cheek 

 small, in about 10 series. Dorsal fin scarcely emarginate, the fourth spine 

 not elevated, about 2\ in head, a little lower than the soft rays ; caudal 

 subtruncate, a little more than half head ; second anal spine longer and 

 stronger than third, '2,\ in head; ventrals If in head; pectorals 1? ; neither 

 reaching front of anal; dorsal and anal fins, jaws, preorbital, and front 

 of head scaleless. Olivaceous, tinged with reddish above, paler below 

 but not silvery ; each scale on the sides with a blackish margin, these 

 forming rather faint, continuous, dusky streaks ; posterior part of sides 

 with faint traces of about 5 irregular cross shades of darker along the 

 sides ; a large blotch of cream color in front of the vent, extending upward 

 as an irregular cross bar to near the middle of the side, its posterior edge 

 sharply defined, its anterior fading into the color of the belly; a black 

 ring around tail behind dorsal and anal ; a large black l)lotch on front of 

 soft dorsal, extending downward on the body, where it is less distinct 

 than on the fin ; cheeks yellowish ; opercles darker ; lower parts of head 

 brown, the preopercle (below), interopercle, lower jaw, and branchioste- 

 gals covered by a network of wavy bluish streaks ; spinous dorsal dark 



t According to Dr. Boulengerthisi)rolcnged spine is a character of the male. We do not know 

 tlie foundation of this statement, and in other Serranidx uo such sexual differences exist. 



