446 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Uiibitat: AVest Indies. 



Etyinol().t;y: From the Freucli name virattet, used lit Martiuique, 

 probably allied to virax, "lively." 



This handsome species is rather common in the markets of Havana, 

 where it is known as the pargo dc lo alto. AN'hen fresh it may always 

 be known by the bright yellow color of the eye, a color which does not 

 entirely fade in spirits. It is evidently the Mesoprion aya of Cuvier & 

 Valenciennes, but it is apparently not the original Bodianus aya of 

 Bloch, as the latter species is said by Marcgrave and Bloch to have the 

 iris red. 



Poey recognizes, under the name of lAitjanus imrimrens^ a second 

 species, which differs from L. profundus only in having small scales 

 very close to the eye. This seems to be a character of little importance 

 on which to recognize a distinct species. 



The name purpurens is credited to Cuvier, but, in the single place 

 (vol. II, p. 457) where the name occurs, purpurens is evidently a mere 

 slip of the pen for aya. Probably it was originally a manuscript name, 

 for which the latter name, from Bloch, was taken. 



Lutjanus torridus, loosely described and poorly figured by Prof. 

 Cope, seems to be this species rather than the red snapper, as it has 

 been formerly identified by us. We have examined Cope's type in 

 the Museum of the Academy at Philadelphia. It is 11 inches long and 

 in poor condition, but it probably belongs to L. vivanus rather than to 

 L. aya. 



In the review of this genus by Jordan and Swain, the close relations 

 of L vivanus with L. aya were not apprehended. The two species are 

 in fact very similar in structural characters, L. vivanus being dis- 

 tinguished chiefly by the slenderer body, smaller scales, longer anal 

 spines, more numerous gill-rakers, and larger eye, the iris of which is 

 always bright j'ellow. The types of Mesoprion vivanus must be referred 

 to the present sjjccies rather than to L. aya, unless, a very improbable 

 supposition, they represent still another species not yet recognized. 

 We are therefoie obliged to adopt for the "jm>y/o de lo alW^ the name 

 of X. vivanus, rather than the appropriate one o£L.profundus given to 

 it by Prof. Poey. 



