REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OP FISH AND FISHERIES. [98] 



369.— DECODON' Gunther. 



1156. Decodon pnellaris Pooy. W. 



370.— TROCHOCOPUS Gunther, (318&.) 

 ^Pimelometopon Gill. 



1157. Trochocopus pulcher Ayres. C. (945) 



371.— PLAT YGLOSSUS Bleeker. (319) 



1158. PlatyglosBUS radiatus- Liniiaius. W. (946) 



1159. Platyglossus bivittatus ' Bloch. S. W. (947 ; 948) 



1160. Platyglossus caudalis Poey. W. (948 6.) 



1 Decodon Giinther. 



(Giiuther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., IV, 101, 18()2 ; type Cossyphua puellarisFoey.) 



Body moderately compressed, obloug, covered with large scales; head, oblong; 

 cheeks, opercles, and lower limb of preopercle scaly, the posterior limb being naked ; 

 base of dorsal and anal not scaly ; lateral lino continuous. Teeth essentially as iu 

 Harpe, those of the jaws in a single series; four canines in the front of each jaw; a 

 posterior canine on each premaxilUiry. Dorsal with eleven spines; anal with three. 

 A single species, intermediate between Bodianus and Trochocopus, having the large 

 scales of the former and the naked fins of the latter. Apparently the genera in this 

 groui> have been too much subdivided. {Aexai, ten ; odovi, tooth; there being ten 

 canines.) 



Decodon puellaria. 



Rose-colored, with three large red blotches; head with several pearl-colored streaks 

 (yellow in life) ; a transverse one between the nostrils ; two oblique ones running 

 from orbit towards subopercle, and a broad one from angle of mouth to angle of 

 preopercle. Some yellow spots on sides of head. Each scale on sides with a yellow 

 spot on its edge. Fins mostly red, the soft dorsal and anal with four rounded yellow 

 spots; several spots on spinous dorsal and caudal (Poey). Eye rather large, as wide 

 as interorbital space, shorter than snout. Maxillary reaching a little beyond eye. 

 Edge of preopercle minutely denticulated, the angle rounded, projecting somewhat 

 beyond the posterior edge ; opercle with a membranaceous flap. Ventrals not reach- 

 ing vent; caudal emarginate. Head 4 in total length; depth 4j. D. XI, 10; A. Ill, 

 10. Scales 2^30-8. L. 10 inches. West Indies, north to Pensacola. 



(Cossyphua puellaria Poey, Memorias Cuba, 18G0, II, 210; Giinther, IV, 101. Jor- 

 dj'.n, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1884.) 



^ Platygloaaua radiatua. Puddiug-wife ; DonceUa ; Blue-fiah. 



This species (Plalyylossu.s radiatus o{ the text; and cyanoafigma of the addenda) is 

 the original Labrua radiatua L., Syst. Nat., Ed. X, 288, 1758, based on Turdua oculo radi- 

 ate, the Pudding-wife, of Catesby. It reaches a much larger size than our other 

 species. The ground color in the males is blue, in the females chiefly of a bronze- 

 olive. Both are most brilliantly colored. Lower pharyngeals X-shaped, but litt le 

 broader than long. 



^ Platy(jlo8ann bivittatus. Slijypcry Dick. 



This is the Sparua I'adiatus of Linuicus, Syst. Nat., Ed. XII, 472, 1760, based on a spec- 

 imen sent from Charleston by Dr. Garden. It varies considerably with agi; and sur- 

 roundings. The names grandiaquamia, hiimeralia, and florealia represent ditt'erent stages 

 of growth. Lower pharyngeal X-shaped, more than twice as broad as long. 



