20. SERUANUS. 12o 



rounfled throughout, with exeessivelj- fine denticulations at the pos- 

 terior limb. Opercuhim witli three con.spi<niou.s spines nearly of 

 equal size, the two lower ones nearer together. Wlicrever the den- 

 ticulations of the pra?operculum are as minute as in this species, 

 the sub- and intcrojierculum have always an entire margin. There 

 are in front of the up})er jaw two canines of moderate size, corre- 

 sponding to two pairs of the lower ; the other teeth occupy, in ji 

 broad band, all the length of the intermaxillary, those in the outei' 

 series being ratlun- stronger ; the interior front teeth are excessively 

 long, one being nearly equal to the distance between the eyes. 

 The teeth of the mandibula reach to the end of the dental bone, 

 being arranged posteriorly in a single series, and further in front 

 in two series ; the strongest teeth are in the middle of the side of 

 the dental bone and in front. The series of the vomerine teeth form 

 a right angle ; those of the palatine are minute, in a single series. 

 and do not reach to the posterior end of this bone. As the second 

 s])ine-of the anal fin is veiy sti'ong, so is its interha?mal correspond- 

 ingly developed ; it is fixed to the haemal spines of the nintli and 

 tenth vertebra), and is as long as the first seven vertebra) together. 



e. Witli tAvelve rays. 

 o4. Serranus spiloparceus. 



On: A'- TV)/, ii. p. ^>-'.^. 



D. K A. ^. 



12 8 



C'andalis rounded ; denticulations of the praeopo'cuhim xevy fin(> 

 Brown, with darker rounded spots on th(! head, ob.solete on the b(jdy ; 

 tins without spots and streaks. (^Val.) 



Hah. ? 



b. Dorsalis witli ten (ir ele\"eu (rarely with twelve) spines. 



[As in the preceding group with nine spines in the dorsal fin. 1 

 also divide this according to the number of the soft rays in the same 

 fin, and j-efer to what I have there said. Most of the species have 

 stronger denticulations on the angle of the pra3operculum, whereby 

 they are still more distinguished from those of the preceding group.] 



(I. With cleren or twelve rays. 



55 Serranus limbatus. 

 Cui\ (§• Ffd. ii. p. 807 



Caudalis truncated. PrsDoperculum denticulated, and with a slight 

 notch above the angle ; interoperculum without any protuberance. 

 Uniform whitish ; dorsal fin black-edged. ( Val.) 



Island of Guam 



