450 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 

 18. LUTJANUS SYNAGRIS. (Lane Snapper; Biajaiba.) 



Sdljxi p II rpn reseats rarictjata (L;iue Snapper), Catesby, Hist. Nat. Carol. 1743, tab. 17. 

 ^jxinis si/nKi/riH Linna'iis, Syst. Nat., X, 280, 17.58 (after Catcsby); Linnnpus, oji. cit., 



XII, 470; Gmclin, Syst. Nat., 1788, 1275; liloch & Schiioider, Syst. Icth., 



1801, 274 (coi.iccl). 

 Luijaiius si/iKirjris, Pooy, Ennmeratio, 1875, 27 (Cuba); Poey, Bull. U. S. F. C. 1882, 



118 (Key West); .Jordan & Gilbert, Syu. Fish. N. A., 1883, 922; Jordan, 



Bull. U. S. F. C. 1884 (Key West); Jordan, Proc. U. S. N. M. 1884, 125 (Key 



West) ; Jordan & Swain, 1. c. ; Jordan, 1. e., 1889, 648 (St. Lucia) ; Jordan, 



1. c, 1890, 319 (Bahia). 

 Sparwi vermicidaris Bloeh & Schneider, Syst. Ichth., 1801, 275 (on a drawing bj' 



Phnnier). 

 Lufjanus aubricti Desmarest, Pr^ra. Dec. Ichth., 17, 1823, pi. 2 (Cuba); Vaillant & 



Bocourt, Miss. Sci. Mcx., 1881 ( ?), 126 (Jamaica, Ilayti, Cuba, Montevideo). 

 Mesoprion nninoiatus Cuv. &Val., ii, 449, 1828 (San Domingo, Martinique); Agassiz, 



Spix, Pisc.-Brasil., 1829, pi. 65; Castehiau, Anim. Nouv. onrares Anier. Sud, 



4; Guichcnot, Ramon de la Sagra, Cuba, 21 ; (iiinther, i, 202, 1859 (Cuba, 



Puerto C.'ibello, San Domingo, .Inmaica, Bahia). 

 Xh/;Vi)(h.s HH)«o/n'/».<(, Poey, Synopsis, 1868, 294; Cope, Trans. Am. Philos. Soc. 1871, 



470 (St. Martin's). 



Habitat: Floridji Keys to Aspiiiwall aud Brazil. 



Etymology: awMiypi::^ ail old name of Dentex dentex, a species which 

 til is one was thought to resemble. 



This species is very common almost everywhere from Tampa to Brazil. 

 It reaches but a small size, rarely exceeding a foot, and it inhabits 

 chiefly shallow waters. It is known about the Florida Kej^s and Baha- 

 mas as "lane snapper," aud in Cuba as " hiajaiha.^'' In Havana it is one 

 of the most common food-fishes, in abundance not exceeded by any other 

 species. Its strongly nmrked coloration renders its recognition from 

 descriptions easy, aud little doubt exists in its extensive synonymy. 



There is no doubt whatever as to the species intended by the lane 

 snapper of Catesby. The name synaanH of Liunajus is, therefore, with- 

 out doubt the one which should be retained for the species. 



Specimens of L. synagris are in the Museum at Cambridge, from 

 (lonaives and Jeivmie, Haiti, Porto Seguro, Havana, Ceara, Rio Ja- 

 neiro, Maranhao, and Victoria. 



19. LUTJANUS AMBIGUUS. 



McRiiprlou ((mhujiiHH Pot^y, Memorias Cul»a, ii, 152, LSOO, tab. 12, f. 4; tab. 13, f. 18 



(Cuba); Poey, Synopsis, 295. 

 Liiljaniin amhignns Poey, Ennmeratio, 1875, 30; Jordan and Swain, 1. c. 



Habitat: Cuba. 



Etymology: Amhifjuus, uncertain. 



This sj)ecies is very well distinguished from Lutjaints synagris aud 

 Cioin Ocynrufi chrysurufi', but it ])resents such a singular blending of 

 lliecharactcrs of the two as to lend much probability to Poey's con- 

 jecture that it is a hybrid of Lutjamis synagris with Ocyurus chrysurus. 

 Two specimens are known, the one sent by Poey to the U. S. National 



