82. BERYCID^ IIOLOCEXTRUS. 
459 
5139.— IBOLOCENTKUS Bloch. 
Squirrel-fishes. 
(^EhynchichtJnjs Cuv. & Vul. ; young.) 
(Arledi ; Bloch, AusL Fische, iv, Gl, about 1787 : type Holocentrus sogo Bloch.) 
Body oblong, moderately compressed, the ventral outline nearly 
straight, the back a little elevated, the tail very slender. Head com- 
pressed, narrowed forward. Operculum with a strong spine above, 
below which the edge is sharply serrated ; a strong spine at the angle 
of preopercle. Orbital ring, preorbital, preopercle, interopercle, sub- 
opercle, occiput, and shoulder girdle with their edges sharply serrate. 
Mouth small, terminal, the lower jaw iirojecting in the adult; in the 
young (which constitute the supposed genus Rhynchichthys), the snout is 
much produced. Maxillary broad, striate, with a supplemental bone. 
Eye excessively large. Scales large, closely imbricated, the liosterior 
margin strongly spinous. La teral line continuous. Dorsal deeply emar- 
ginate, the spines nsually 11, depressible in a groove ; soft dorsal short 
and high ; anal with 4 spines, the first and second quite small, the third 
very long and strong, the fourth smaller; caudal widely forked; both 
lobes with the rudimentary rays spine-like ; ventrals large, I, 7, the 
S[)ine very strong. Species numerous, remarkable for the development 
of sharp spines almost everywhere on the surface of the body. (oAo-, 
wholly; xi^rpovj spine.) 
72©. II. 3>eaita,ca3it3aiis (Blocli) Vaill. & Boc. — Sjulrr el-fish. 
Chiefly bright red, with shining longitudinal streaks; fins not black. 
Mouth small, the maxillary scarcely reaching middle of orbit. Soft 
dorsal as high as the body ; ventrals much longer than pectorals, reach- 
ing vent. Head in length ; depth 3^-. Eye about 2^ in head. D. 
Xr, 15; A. IV, 10 ; V. I, 7 ; Lat. 1. 50. Vertebrm 11 -f 10. Coeca 25. 
West Indies ; accidental on our coast ; once taken at Xewport, R. I. 
“ Its bright color and nervous darting motions rendering it one of the 
most conspicuous denizens of the rock-pools. The local name refers to 
the grunting noise nttered by them, which resembles the bark of a 
squirrel.” {Goode.) 
{Bodlaniis pentacanihus* Blocli, Ansi. Fisclie, iv, 40, taf. 225 : Holocentrus sogo Blocli, 
Ansi. Fisclio, iv, 61, taf. 2G2: Perea rufa Walbaum, Artedi, Pise. 1792, 351; Holo- 
centrurn longipiune Giiutlier, i, 28; Vaillant & Boconrt, Miss. Sci. an Mex. 144.) 
“ Opercnla squamosa. Auteriora 5 spinis pone borrida.” {Bloch.) 
