FISHES OF THE BAHAMA ISLANDS 



BY 



BARTON A. BEAN, 



Assistant Curator of the Division of Fishes, U. 8. National Museum. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The Bahama Islands, lying as they do between latitudes 21° and 28° 

 north, have a tropical fish fauna, similar to other parts of the West Indies; 

 ninety per cent of the list of one hundred and eighty-three Bahama species here 

 enumerated as collections in the TJ. S. National Museum and elsewhere, made 

 largely by the Bahama Expedition in 1903, and by the Bureau of Fisheries 

 steamer Albatross in 1886, are credited to the West Indian fauna. Forty per 

 cent of this list have also been found in Bermuda, and seventy per cent along 

 and close to the Florida coast. But eight and one-half per cent of this list 

 have been recorded from the Pacific. 



A comparison Avith the Bermuda fauna shows an exceedingly close rela- 

 tionship between it and the Bahama fauna. Almost all of the fishes known to 

 the waters of Bermuda are found in the waters of the Bahamas. In fact, 

 Bermuda is the northeast end of the West Indian region, Avhich includes the 

 Bahamas. 



The fish fauna of the Bahamas is varied, but not so rich as other similar 

 faunas; certain forms are rare, comparatively speaking, and the hauls made 

 with the twenty-fathom seine, twelve feet deep, and of fine mesh, were usually 

 surprisingly light, both as to number of species and individuals taken. It was 

 only possible to draw the seines on smooth shores, plenty of which were found, 

 but the waters at the time of our visit seemed more or less barren. The fishes 

 on the coral heads were fairly abundant, such forms as Chlorichthys, Iridic, 

 Balistes, etc., being quite common, as were the young tang. The Chcetodonts 

 were rare. Our observations led us to agree with Professor Mayer, who says : 

 " The Bahama region is richer in corals, poorer in fishes and in invertebrates, 

 and far poorer in pelagic life than that of the Tortugas." 



