Fishes of the IVestern North Atlantic 7 7 



Postorbital distance to: bony margin 6.6— Distance from tip of s>iout to: dorsal origin 



8.9; fleshy margin 7.5-10.0. 84.8-89.3; pelvic insertion 56.1- 



Frontal bones: least width 1.7—2.5. 62.1. 



Lower jaws: width 3.6-5.2; least width Distance from pelvic insertion to: anal or- 



0.7—1.3. igin 20.4—26.1; pectoral insertion 



Mandible: length 20.4-26.4. 18.7-24.4; lateral line 3.3-4.7. 



Dorsal fin: depressed length 10. 2-14. 8. Distance from dorsal origin to: occiput 



Anal fin: depressed length 11.1-15.9. 48.2-56.9; caudal base 10.6-1 5.2 ; 



Caudal fin: length 12.0-22.3. lateral line 4.2-5.4. 



Pectoral fin: length 2.6-10.3. Distance from anal origin to: caudal base 



Pelvic fin: length 8.1-13.2. 15. 3-19. 2. 



Proportional dimensions in per cent of head length for 39 specimens, 114.1- 

 695 mm length, with head lengths 81.8-272 mm, including head of type (see Study 

 Material). 



Snout: length 67.4-73.8; least width Postorbital distance to: hony ma.rgm ly.j— 



3.1-4.5. 23.6. 



Orbit: length 6.3-9.1. Lower Jaws: least width 1.8-3.6. 



Interorbital: least bony distance 10.6- Mandible: length 64.3—68.4. 



I3-4- 



Proportional dimensions in per cent of snout length. 

 Snout: least width 12.9-25.7. Postsnout: distance 2.1-3.0. 



Statistics of meristic characters: first number — number of specimens; second and 

 third numbers — extremes in range of variation ; fourth number — mean figure. 



Scales: transverse rows between pelvic Fin rays: dorsal 40, 6—9, 7.4; anal 40, 

 and dorsal origins 25^ 31-35? Z'^-S''> 8-10, 8.8 ; caudal 40, i 1-14, 12.8 ; 

 transverse rows 37, 19—24, 21.2; pectoral on left 39, 10-13, ii.i, 

 predorsal 38, 47—55, 50.8; lateral and on right 39, 10-13, ii-2; pel- 

 line 40, 57-63, 60.1. vie on left 40 and on right 40, all 



Gill rakers: total 38, 14-31, 22.6. with 6 rays. 



Color. In general, olivaceous brown above and white below, with specimens from 

 clear water showing more contrast in coloration; their backs usually more greenish, 

 those from turbid waters more brownish. Dark spots on median fins and on body, 

 more clearly defined on specimens from clear water; darkened areas on body frequently 

 appearing as blackened margins of scales (as if ink were dropped on the body and then 

 wiped off, leaving traces in grooves between the scales); old individuals sometimes 

 lacking dark spots on body or fins. Catesby has described and figured "acus maxima 

 squamosa viridis" from Virginia as having a pink belly and pink fins (i"j: 30, pi. 30). 



