454 RErORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 

 24. RHOMBOPLITES AURORUBENS. (Cagon de lo Alto.) 



Cciitropristis auroruhois Cuv. & Val., Hist. Nat. Poiss., in. 45 (Bnizil, Martiuique, 



San Domingo) ; Storer, Synopsis, 1846, 288 (copied). 

 Meaoprion aurorubens, Giinther, i, 207, 1859 (Jamaica). 

 JihombopUtcs (turornhctiH Gill, Troc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Pliila. 18G2, 236; Goode & Bean, 



Troc. U. S. N. M. 1879, lo6 (Chiirlcstoii, Tcnsacola) ; Bean, Proc. U. S. N. M. 



1880, 96 (Charleston); .lortlan, Pioc. T. S. N. M. 1884 (Peusacola) ; Jordan 



& Swain, 1. c. ; Jordan, 1. c, 1890, :J1!» (Baliia). 

 LuiJauus aiironihctis, Vaillant & Bocourt, Miss. Sci. an Mexiqne, 1875; Jordan & 



Gilbert, Syn. Fish. N. A., 188:5, 519. 

 Mesoprlon eleyans Poey, Memorias, n, 153, 1860 (Cnba.) 

 EhombopIite>icIetjaiis,Y\H'y, Repertorio, ii, 158, 1868; Poey, Synopsis, 1868, 295; Poey, 



Enunieratio, 1875, 31. 

 Jjyrion uriommus Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. N. M. 1883, 142 (Peusacola). 



Ilabitiit : West ludies, north to Cliaileston, south to Eio Janeiro. 



Etymology : Aiircns, gokleu ; ruhens, reddish. 



This species is not uneomnion in deep waters as far north as Charles- 

 ton and Peusacola. It is not uiifreqnently seen in the markets of Ha- 

 vana, where it is known as car/on or c(t</07i de lo alto. Si)ecimens from 

 Pensacola and Havana are fully identical. Specimens from the coast 

 of Carolina are somewhat deeper than those from Cuba, and with the 

 yellow streaks more pronounced, becomiug dark brown in spirits. One 

 of these, in the U. S. National Museum, has 13 dorsal spines. It is 

 not, however, otherwise essentially different. 



We see no reason to doubt that this species is the original Centropris- 

 tis auroruhens of Cuv. & Val. We therefore adopt the earlier name 

 instead of the name elegans, given to it by Poey. The young specimens 

 taken from the stomachs of red snappers at Pensacola, and described 

 by Jordan & Gilbert as A^mon ariommus, seem to be the youug of this 

 species. The pterygoid teeth are undeveloped, and covered by skin in 

 young examples. 



Specimens of Rhomhoplites aurorubens are in the museum at Cam- 

 bridge from Maranhao and Eio Janeiro. 



V. APSILUS. 



Apsilus Cuv. & Val., Hist. Nat. Poiss., vi, 1830, 548 (fuscus). 



Tropidinius (Gill Ms.s.), I'oey, Synopsis I'isc. Cub., 1868, 296 {arnillo^ dentatus'i. 



Type: Apsilus fuscus Cuv. & Val. 



Etymology : tr jiri vati ve ; (/'dik, bare or bald ; the meaning not evident. 

 This very distinct spccues has essentially the cranial structure of 

 Lntjanus, with the scaleless fins, peculiar sqnamation, and dentition of 

 Aprion. We have examined the East Indian species,' Apsilus fuscus, 

 and lind it genericaUy identical with the American species, which must 

 therefore be placed in Apsilus, leaving Tropidinius as a synonym. 



