PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 353 



from middle of preorbital along suborbital, rarely extending behind the 

 orbit, much less distinct than in L. argenfivittatus, and disappearing in 

 alcohol; cheeks sometimes with bluish spots or lines; inside of mouth 

 red; vertical tins very dark, with more or less reddish ; spinous dorsal 

 with a broad median streak of verj- light slaty blue; pectorals and ven- 

 trals reddish, the latter with dusky. 



This species is a very abundant food-tish at Mazatlan, being seen daily 

 in the markets. It is preferred (probably on account of its bright 

 colors) as a market fish to the other species of Lutjanus. It reaches a 

 weight of about 15 pounds, an«l is known to the Mexican fishermen as 

 '■'■Pargo Colorado.'''' 



18. Lutjanus prieto, sp. nov. (28196. •282:}1, 28253, 28384, 29567,28779, 29787.) 



Body comparatively elongate, the back little elevated ; profile very 

 gently curved ; snout long and pointed, one-third length of head ; eye 

 small, less than breadth of the wide preorbital ; maxillary V>arely reach- 

 ing to opposite front of orbit, its length 2| in head; each jaw with a very 

 narrow band of villiform teeth, outside of which is a single series of 

 larger teeth; those in sides of upper jaw small; two in front, however, 

 developed as large fang-like canines, larger than usual in this genus, 

 their length about equal to the diameter of the pupil; a pair of smaller 

 canhies near the middle of the upper jaw, between the large ones ; conical 

 teeth of lower jaw distant, canine-like, 6 to 8 in number on each side, 

 larger than in any of our other species of Lutjaiius, much larger than 

 those on sides of upper jaw; teeth on tongue in a large oval patch, in 

 front of which are two smaller patches; teeth on vomer forming a 

 crescent-shaped patch, without backward prolongation on the median 

 line. 



Gill-rakers few, not very large, distant, about 1 + 7. Preopercle with 

 its posterior margin extending very obliquely forward, the angle there- 

 fore very obtusely rounded; a broad shallow notch above the angle, the 

 margin above the notch convex, its edge minutely serrulate; a few 

 coarser teeth at the angle ; lower border mostly smooth. In the adult 

 the whole margin of the preopercle is without serrations; suprascapular 

 serrate. Posterior nostril nearly round; a single narrow band of scales 

 extending downward and backward from occiput. Dorsal spines rather 

 long, with sharp flexible tips, the fourth the longest, but shorter than 

 the snout, 3^ in head ; anal spines short and strong, much stronger than 

 dorsal spines, the second and third of nearly equal length, the second 

 somewhat strongest, not much longer than diameter of the orbit, 4§ in 

 head. Soft rays of anal low, 3^ in head. Caudal fin emarginate. If in 

 head. Pectorals much longer than ventrals, extending slightly beyond 

 them, their length 1| in head. 



Scales moderate firm, present on cheek, opercle, subopercle, and in 

 a single series on interopercle. Scales above lateral line forming very 

 Proc. Kat. Mus 81 23 iliarch 99, 1883. 



