86. SERRANID.E PKOMICROPS. 541 



A. Ill, 9; scales 24-11. ■)-52. Gulf of Mexico, north to South Carolina; 

 reaches a weight of 300 pounds. 



{Serrantm niijritus Ilolbrook, Icli. S. C. 18(50, 177: Serrantis nigritiis Giiuther, i, 134; 

 Goode & Beau, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mns. 1878, 182.) 



aa. Pyloric cceca numerous (r^O-70). {Iljporihoduti* Gill.) 

 §51. E. niveatus (Cuv. & Val.) Poey. 



Brownish olive ; sides with many large, light blue spots, which are 

 arranged in about 5 transverse rows ; a large quadrangular black spot 

 crossing caudal peduncle above and running down on sides to below 

 the lateral line. Body oblong, compressed, highest forwards; mouth 

 large, oblique, maxillary reaching beyond middle of orbit; lower jaw 

 slightly the longest; membranes of vertical fins scaled half way up; 

 second anal spine about as long as third and much stronger ; top of 

 head entirely scaled, except in front of nostrils. Eye large, as long as 

 snout. Head 2*; depth 2|. D. XI, 14; A. Ill, 9; Lat. 1. about 85. 

 West Indies to Florida ; accidental northward. 



{Serranus nireatus Cuv. & Val. ii, 380: Serranus niveatus Glinther, i, 130: Hyporthodus 

 flavicauda Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 18G1, 98, from Newport, R. I.) 



** Dorsal si)iues 9. (Bodianus\ Bloch.) 



852. E. psmctatus (L.) J. & G. — Buttcr-fisli ; Xlfjger-fisli ; Coney. 



Olivaceous jellow or red, covered with small, round, dark-edged 

 spots of blue ; one or two black spots on the tip of the chin and one 

 on the caudal peduncle ; colors brilliant and variable. Maxillary not 

 reaching posterior margin of eye ; eye 5J in head ; preopercle finely 

 serrate; its lower limb entire; caudal truncate; skull channelled be- 

 tween the eyes, its upper surface smooth. Head 2f . D. IX, 15; A. 

 Ill, 9; Lat. 1. 85. Pyloric cceca 8. VertebrtB 10 + 14. {Giiuther.) 

 Size small ; flesh soft. West Indies, north to Florida Keys ; abundant. 



(Perca punctata L. Syst. Nat. x, 291, 1758 : Serranus ouatalibi Cuv. & Val. ii, 381, 

 1829 (red variety): Serranus ouatalibi Giintlier, i, 120: Serranus guativereCnv. & Val. 

 ii, 383: Serranus carauno Cuv. & Val. ii, 383: Enneacentrus punctatus Poey, Rep. Fis.- 

 Nat. Cuba, 1868, 288: Enneacentrus punctatus Goode, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. v, 59.) 



ayy.-PROitticROPS giii. 



/Gill, MSS. ; Poey, Synopsis Piscium Cubensinni, 18{)8, 287 : type Serranus f/uasa Poey.) 



" This genus has the characters of Epineplielus^ except the cranium, 

 which resembles that of Trisotropis by the great interorbital width. 



*Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 18G1, 98: type Hyporthodus flavicauda Gill=;=jS«'- 

 ranus niveatus \\\\ . (uffo, below; opOo?, straight ; 65 ox;?, tooth. ) 



t Bloch Ichthyol ; Bloch & Schneider, Syst. Ichth. 1801,330: type Bodianus guttatua 

 Bloch. (From Bodiano, a Portuguese uame of various similar fishes.) 



