THE SHORE FISHES OF PERU 215 



TBACHINOTUS PAITENSIS Cuvier and Valenciennes 



Pampano 

 Figure 48 



Trachinotus paitensis Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1831, p. 438, Paita, Peru 

 (original description, based on a 2J^-inch specimen; D. VI-I, 28; A. I, 26. 

 Number of soft rays given somewhat greater than in anj' specimen now at 

 hand). — Regan, 1913, p. 278, Lobos de Tierra (description, based on a speci- 

 men 85 mm. long; D. VI-I, 28; A. I, 24). 



Trachinotus paloma Jordan and Starks, in Jordan, 1895, p. 437, Mazatldn, 

 Mexico (original description; D. VI-I, 24; A. II-I, 23). — Starks, 1906, 

 p. 786, Callao, Peru (this species compared with T. carolinus of the Atlantic). — 

 EvERMANN and Radcliffe, 1917, p. 62, pi. 6, fig. 1 (description based on a 

 large specimen, 380 mm. long; D. VII-I, 25; A. II-I, 23). — Nichols and 

 Murphy, 1922, p. 508, Lobos de Tierra Island, Peru. — Meek and Hilde- 

 BRAND, 1925, p. 386, Panama Bay (references; description; compared with 

 specimens from Cape San Lucas, and with specimens of T. carolinus from 

 the Atlantic). 



Head 3.5 to 4.25; depth 2.2 to 2.5; D. VI-I, 24 to 27 (first dorsal 

 rarely with 7 spines) ; A. II-I, 22 to 25; P. 17 or 18. 



Body moderately deep, strongly compressed; back rather high; 

 dorsal profile anteriorly convex, its margin trenchant; head short; 

 snout very blunt, 3.8 to 4.3 in head; eye 3.7 to 5.6; interorbital 2.5 to 

 3.3; mouth rather small, nearly horizontal, terminal; maxillary reach- 

 ing nearly or quite opposite middle of eye 2.6 to 3.1 in head; teeth in 

 the jaws in bands, much more prominent in small specimens than in 

 large ones; gill rakers about as long as pupil, 8 to 10 on lower and 3 or 

 4 very short ones on upper limb of first arch; lateral line scarcely 

 arched, slightly wavy anteriorly; scales minute, elongate, some with 

 free edges in large specimens; dorsal spines short, strong, connected 

 by membranes only in small specimens, under about 110 mm. in 

 length; second dorsal and anal similar, both somewhat elevated 

 anteriorly, the lobe of dorsal about as long as head without snout in 

 large specimens, not quite reaching middle of base of fin, shorter in 

 small ones; anal preceded by two free spines, these somewhat connected 

 with each other and with rest of fin in small specimens; base of anal, 

 exclusive of free spines, 2.5 to 3.1 in length; ventral well developed, 

 inserted very shortly behind base of pectoral, generally reaching 

 rather more than halfway to origin of anal; pectoral fairly small, 

 pointed, reaching about opposite vent, a little shorter than head, not 

 increasing in proportionate length with age and growth, 4.2 to 5.4 

 in length. 



Color lead gray to bluish above; this color merging into the pale 

 sUvery of the lower parts along middle of side; dorsal and caudal 

 generally more or less dusky, the anterior lobe of dorsal black; anal 



