162 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 99 



gradually becoming a little shorter posteriorly; middle rays of caudal 

 fin longest; distal margin of anal fin nearly straight, or slightly 

 rounded ; distal margins of paired fins rounded ; origin of second dorsal 

 fin equidistant between midcaudal fin base and front of eye; anus equi- 

 distant between pelvic insertion and midcaudal fin base; base of anal 

 fin 3.5 times in base of second dorsal fin; pelvic fins reach one-half the 

 way to the anus; least depth of caudal peduncle about 3 times in its 

 length. 



Coloration. — Silvery on sides, white below, dusky above; back 

 along base of spiny and soft dorsal brownish; base of each lobe of 

 caudal fin with some brownish pigment; spiny dorsal fin dusky brown 

 and soft dorsal and anal fins pale dusky; a brownish spot at upper 

 edges of pectoral fin base; pelvics pale; pectoral fin with a little 

 brownish pigment; upper edges of maxillary and premaxillaries brown- 

 ish; peritoneum white. 



Remarks. — This new species of Cynoscion is abundant in Lago de 

 Maracaibo, where large numbers are caught on hook and line and by 

 jigging. It is usually in the market at Maracaibo. 



Cynoscion maracaiboensis, with its ctenoid scales, with scales only 

 on the basal parts of soft dorsal and of soft anal fins, and with but 

 18 or 19 soft rays in the dorsal fin, is readily distinguished from all 

 other species of Cynoscion in American Atlantic waters except C. 

 acoupa. C. steindachneri, C. nothus, C. regalis, C. arenarius, and 

 C. jamaicensis all have 20 or more soft dorsal rays. C. striatus has 

 about 19 or 20 soft dorsal rays, 8 or 9 soft anal rays, and ver}^ large 

 scales, about 52 to 56 pores and 62 to 66 vertical scale rows above the 

 lateral line, whereas C. maracaiboensis has 54 to 59 pores and 79 to 

 85 scale rows respectively. The number of gill rakers on a specimen 

 of C. striatus numbered 6 + 1 + 16, including all rudiments that 

 showed any development. 



Cynoscion maracaiboensis is most closely related to C. acoupa 

 (Lacepede) but differs from it by having 18 or 19 soft dorsal rays, 79 

 to 85 vertical scale rows above the lateral line, and 54 to 59 pores in 

 lateral line instead of about 85 scale rows above, 19 to 21 soft dorsal 

 rays, and about 55 to 66 pores in the lateral line, according to Ribeiro 

 (Arch. Mus. Nac. Rio de Janeiro, vol. 17, p. 36, 1915) and Eigenmann 

 (1912). 



Genus CORVULA Jordan and Eigenmann 



Corvula Jordan and Eigenmann, Rep. U. S. Comm. Fish, for 1886, vol. 14, p. 377, 

 1889. (Genotype, Johnius batabanus Poey.) 



CORVULA SANCTAE-LUCIAE Jordan 



Corvula sanctae-luciae Jordan, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 12, p. 649, 1890. 



U.S.N. M. No. 128248, 2 specimens, 54 and 66 mm. in standard length, from 

 Jacuque Point, U. S. S. Niagara, January 26, 1925, 



