452 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OV FISH AND FISHERIES. 



III. OCYURUS. 



OcyuruB Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1862, 236 (chrysurus). 



Type: SjMrns chrysurus Bloch. 



Etymology: a>xuc, swift; ovpd tail. 



The skull of the single species now referred to Ocyurus deviates so 

 far from that of the ordinary Lutjanns tliat its separation as a distinct 

 genus seems to be fully justified. The species shows numerous minor 

 peculiarities, as the peculiar form of the body, the large caudal fin, the 

 small head, as well as an increased number of gill-rakers and the 

 presence (in the adult) of pterygoid teeth. 



ANALYSIS OF SPECIES OF OCYURUS. 



a. Gill-rakers long and mimerous, about 20 developed on lower part of arch ; month 

 small; lower jaw projecting; canines Rmall, in npper jaw only ; body elliptical, 

 elongate, with very slender caudal peduncle; caudal fin deeply forked, longer 

 than head; eye small; occipital keel high ; preorbital narrow; teeth on vomer in 

 an anchor-shaped patch ; a<lult with a narrow band of teeth on pterygoids ; scales 

 small, those above lateral line in very oblique series; soft dorsal and anal low; 

 anal spines weak; olivaceous, souiewhat rosy-tinged; abroad yellow lateral 

 band, with yellowish blotches above it and some yellow streaks below it; caudal 

 deep yellow ; other fins mostly yellow. Head, 3J in length; depth, 3. D. X, 13; 

 A. ui, 8 or 9. Scales 8-65-16 Chrysurus, 23. 



23. OCYURUS CHRYSURUS. (Yellow-tail; Rabirubia.) 



Acara iniamha Marcgrave, Hist. Brasil., 1648, 155. 



Bahirubia P.-xrra, Descr. ])if. Piezas, Hist. Nat., pi. 20, f. 1, 1787 (Cuba). 



Sparns chrysurus Bloch, Ichthyol., taf. 262, 1790 (after Marcgrave); Lac<^p^de, Hist. 



Nat. Poiss., IV, 11.5, 1803 (copied). 

 Grammistes chrysurus, Bloch & Schneider, Syst. Ichtli., 1801, 187 (copied). 

 Mesoprion chrysurus, Cuv. & Val., ii, 459, 1828 (Martiui(|U»') ; Guichenot, Ramon dela 



Sagra, Hist. Cuba, 24, about 1850 (Cuba); Giinther, i, 186, 1859 (Puerto 



Cabello, .Jamaica, Trinidad). 

 Ocyurua chrysurus Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1862, 236 (name only) ; Poey, Synop- 

 sis, 295, 1868; Cope, Trans. Am. Pliilos. Soc. 1871,468 (St. Martins, New 



Providence, St. Croix) ; Poey, Enumer.itio, 187.5, 40 (Cuba) ; Poey, Bull. U. S. 



F. C. 1882, 118 (Key West) ; Jordan & Swain, 1. c. ; Jordan, 1. c, 1890, 319 



(Bahia). 

 Lutjanus chrysurus,Y;iiUnnt, Miss. Sci. au Mexique, 1875, 133, pi. v ; Jordan & Gilbert, 



Syn. Fish. N. A., 1883, 921 ; Jordan, Proc. U. S. N. M. 1884, 125 (Key West). 

 Anthias rahirubia lUoch & Schneider, Syst. Ichth., 1801, 309 (after Parra). 

 Sparus semiluna Lact^pf'de, Hist. Nat. Poiss., iv, 141,1803 (on a copy of a drawing 



by Pluinier). 

 Mesoprion nuroviHatus Agassiz, Spix, Pise. Brasil., pi. 66, 1829 (Brazil). 

 Ocyurus aurorittatus, Poey, Syn. Pise. Cubcns., 1868, 295; Poey, Enumeratio, 31 



(Cuba). 

 Ocyurus melanurus, Goode, Proc. 11. S. N. M. 1879, 114 (name only; after Perca mela- 



nura L., which is a Ho'inulon and not .a Lutjauus). 

 Lutjanus melanurus, Jordan & Gilbert, Syn. Fish. N. A., 1883, 548. 

 Ocyurus rijgersmoci Cope, Trans. Am. Phil. Soc. 1871, 468 (St. Kitts). 



