SPAROID FISHES OF AMERICA AND EUROPE. 527 



XXXII. SPICARA. 



Spicara Rafinesque, Caratteri, etc., 1810, 51 {flexuosa = smaris). 

 Smaris Cuvier, R^gne Animal, ed. i, 1817, 269 (smaris). 



Type: Spicara flexuosa= Sparus smaris Jj. 



Etymology: Spicara., a local name, i^robably from spica, a spike. 



This genus is chiefly confined to the Mediterranean and neighboring 

 waters. The name Spicara hqs priority over the commonly used name 

 SmariH, 



Two sj)ecies are now recognized on tlic European coasts. These are: 



134. SPICARA SMARIS (Liunans). (Picarel.) 



135. SPICARA ALCEDO (Risso). 



Besides these, a single species has been* doubtfully recorded from the 

 West Indies — Spicara martinica. 



XXXIII. CENTRACANTHUS. 



Centracantus (by misprint) Rafinesque, Caratteri, etc., 1820, 42 (cirrus = insidiafor). 



Tyi^e : Centracanthus cirrus Eafinesque= yS^wiari.5 insidiator Cuv. & Yal. 



Etymology: x^y-pov, point; «x«v^^>!, spine. 



This genus contains one species found in the Mediterranean fauna 

 and another in the Indian seas. The European species has been usually 

 referred to /Spicara (*S'mam), but the form of its dorsal and various 

 minor characters sufticicntly distinguish it. Its specific name cirrus 

 is derived from a Sicilian name, "cirrw." 



136. CENTRACANTHUS CIRRUS Raliuesque. Coasts ol' southern 

 Europe. 



* ANALYSIS OF SUPPOSED AMERICAN SPECIES OF SPICARA. 



a. [Allied to Spicara smaris, but with the body rounded, compressed, the suborbital 

 narrower and more notched. Color ajiparently plain, a small black spot 

 on the side; D. xii, 11; A. iii, 9.] (Cuv, .f- Val.) Martinica. 



SPICARA MARTIMCA. 



Smaris martinicut Cuv. & Val., vi, 1830, 424 (Martini<xue). 



Habitat : West Indian fauna. 



Etymology: From Martinique. 



The type of this species, 4 inches long, is reputed to have been sent to Paris from 

 Plde, in Martinique. Very likely it is the common European picarel, Spicara smaris, 

 and it may have come from the coasts of France. Errors of locality are commou in 

 niuseumSj and the " Cabinet dn Roi" hun not been exempt from them, 



