566 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 83 



Nomenclature and synonymy. — The account of H. eredus possibly 

 represents this subspecies, as stated on p. 517. The only relevant 

 matters contained in that account that may be of some aid in deter- 

 mining what species was meant to be represented are: The depth of 

 the trunk and the length of the snout as shown by the figure, and 

 the size and color, which are described as "* * * its size varies 

 from seven inches to nine * * * The colour of the body is of a 

 pale amber, shaded with brown, and which is divided into ribs trans- 

 versely placed, and continued in a closer manner upon the neck and 

 tail * * *." Of the known species occurring in the region com- 

 prised in the geographical range of eredus as given by Perry the 

 description of the size and the "ribbed" color pattern, and the deep 

 trunk and the comparatively rather long snout shown on the plate, 

 agree most nearly with the form later described by Guichenot as 

 pundulatus. The next best form to which the account approaches 

 is hudsonius, wdth which it agrees fairly well, and if part of Perry's 

 material comes from the coast of the United States, north of Florida, 

 he probably had a mixture of these forms. However, it is quite pos- 

 sible that Perry's specimens represented still another species or sub- 

 species, such as kincaidi. While the name eredus is here synonymized 

 with pundulatus, I continue to use the latter name, although it was 

 established at a later date, for two reasons: (1) It is a well-established 

 name that has been used for this southern seahorse for three quarters 

 of a century (remarks made on p. 516 in regard to generic name apply 

 also to specific name) ; and (2) there is no means now of determining 

 with absolute certainty what eredus actually represents. 



There is no question that Guichenot had material of the present 

 subspecies when he described his fish, and the name pundulatus 

 belongs to it rather than to the other common West Indian seahorse, 

 which is here designated as reidi. The deep body shown on the plate 

 and the comparatively well developed spines as described and figured 

 indicate without a doubt that the name pundulatus belongs to the 

 subspecies described herewith. The spots he describes as "una 

 mancha morena, jaspeada de bianco, de cada lado del lomo y de la 

 base de la cola" are often developed in various positions on the trunk, 

 and are sometimes nearly all white. These characteristic spots are 

 often present also in the subspecies hudsonius and kincaidi. However, 

 while characteristic of the three subspecies, these spots are more often 

 faint or entirely absent in large specimens. 



The discussion following gives the reasons for adopting th€ syn- 

 onymy as here given. While the type of stylifer only has been ex- 

 amined, the variability of the species as worked out on the available 

 material indicates that this synonymy is most probably correct. It 

 has been partly suggested also by previous investigators. 



