FISHES SPHYRAENIDAE SPHYRAENA ARGENTEA, 39 



This genus is distinguished from Faralepis by the protrusion of the lower jaw beyond the 

 upper, the more advanced position of both dorsal fins, and hence of the ventrals. In Faralepis 

 the second dorsal being rather small, composed of inconspicuous rays. 



SPHYRAENA ARGENTEA, Grd. 

 Plate XIV. 



Spec. Char. — Head constituting a little more than the fourth of total length. Origin of anal under middle of second 

 dorsal. Origin of ventrals a little in advance of middle of second dorsal. Bluish black above, whitish on the sides, 

 yellowish beneath. Lateral line dark. Argentine reflect all over. 



Syn. — Sphyraena argenUa, Grd. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. VII, 1854, 144. 



The body is stoutish, thickest upon the middle of its lengtli and somewhat compressed, the 

 depth being about one-third more than the thickness. The head, constituting a little more 

 than the fourth of the entire length, which, in tlie specimen figured and described, is thirty-five 

 inches. The snout is conical and pointed, and the mouth of moderate size ; the posterior 

 extremity of the maxillary leaves a distance of three-fourths of an inch between it and a vertical 

 line made to pass in advance of the anterior rim of the orbit. The premaxillary teeth are very 

 small ; those on the dentary (lower jaw) are moderately developed ; on the vomer and palatines 

 they are conspicuous and strong. The eye is sub-elliptical in shape and of medium development; 

 its anterior rim is a little nearer to the tip of the lower jaw than the posterior edge of the 

 opercular apparatus. The posterior margin of the first dorsal fin is nearly equidistant between 

 the extremity of the lower jaw and the base of the central rays of the caudal. It is higher than 

 long, and composed of five spiny rays, the posterior one of which being the smallest and the 

 second the highest. The second dorsal is composed of eleven soft rays, the anterior being quite 

 small ; its upper margin is concave ; its anterior margin more than twice the height of the pos- 

 terior, and a little higher than the length of its base. The caudal is deeply forked, composed 

 of eighteen strongly developed rays, and a few rudimentary ones exteriorly to each lobe. The 

 anal has the shape and structure of the second dorsal ; its origin is situated opposite the middle 

 of the fin just mentioned. The insertion of the ventrals is about opposite the middle of the first 

 dorsal, mayhap somewhat in advance. Their external spine is strong and acerated. The pec- 

 torals are somewhat longer than the ventrals. 



Br. VII: VII; D V, 11; A 10; C 4, 1, 8, 8, 1, 3; VI, 5; P 13. 



The scales are rather small, especially on the dorsal region ; they are largest in the lateral 

 line. Their shape is quite irregular, being higher than long on the back and belly, and longer 

 than high on the lateral line, which is straight. The opercular apparatus and the temporal 

 region are densely covered with scales. The upper surface of the head is smooth. The color of 

 the upper region of the head and the body above the lateral line is bluish-black, whitish on 

 the sides and yellowish on the abdomen. The scales exhibit an argentine reflection, which 

 extends to the sides of the head and lower jaw. The lateral line is blackish. The interradial 

 membrane of the dorsal, caudal, anal, and pectorals, is yellowish, whilst the rays themselves are 

 greyi.sh. The ventrals exhibit a uniform yellowish hue. 



References to the figures. — Plate XIV, fig. 1, represents the profile of Sphyraena argentea, 

 natural size. Fig. 2, a scale from the dorsal region. Fig. 3, a scale from the lateral line. 

 Fig. 4, a scale from the abdominal region. 



