FISHES — SCOKPAENIDAE — SCORPAENA GUTTATA. 77 



SCORPAENA GUTTATA, Grd. 

 Plate XVII, Fias. 1—4. 



Spec. Char. — Posterior extremity of maxillary reaching a vertical line intersecting tlie posterior rim of the orbit. Soft 

 portion of dorsal fin nearly as high as the spinous portion. Posterior extremities of dorsal and anal fins terminating evenly. 

 Above, reddish brown ; beneath, yellowish brown. Black patches and spots disseminate 1 over the upper regions of head and 

 body. 



Sin. — Scorpaena guttata, Grd. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. VII, 1854, 145. 



The body is about eleven inches in total length, the head forming the third of it. The head 

 has a pretty rough appearance : in the first place, the oi-bits seem as if upheaved from the upper 

 part of the scull, the middle line of which exhibits an excavated groove. Three spines are 

 observed along the upper edge of the orbit, behind which three more may be seen on either side 

 of the occipital region and nape. Several supra- tympanic spines, though small ; two diverging 

 ones upon the opercle, and four upon the limb of the i^reopercle, the uppermost of which being 

 much the stoutest and longest. Next we see four other spines irradiating downwards from the 

 sub-orbitals, and finally the nasal bones terminate into a sharp and acute point, directed upwards 

 and slightly backwards. Intermingled with these numerous spines there are but two pairs of 

 small membranous and arborescent flaps — we were going to say — adorning the head, but in 

 reality contributing to render it still more repulsive to an eye unitiated to scientific pursuits : 

 the first pair is situated above the posterior part of the orbit, whilst the second occupies the 

 inner upper edge of the anterior nostril. The eye is large and elliptical, its horizontal 

 diameter being comprised nearly five times in the length of the side of the head. The poste- 

 rior extremity of the upper maxillary reaches a vertical line which would intersect the posterior 

 rim of the orbit. The soft portion of the dorsal has nearly the same height as the spinous 

 portion. The caudal is sub-rounded posteriorly. The tips of the posterior rays of the anal 

 are even with those of the soft dorsal. The insertion of the ventrals is under the base of the 

 pectorals ; they are elongated. The pectorals are broad and very much developed, their poste- 

 rior extremity extending considerably beyond that of the ventrals. 



Br. VII : VII ; D XII, 10 ; A III, 5 ; C 5, 1, 6, 5, 1, 3 ; V I, 5 ; P 18. 



The scales of the body are of medium size, and very small upon the occipital region and the 

 head. The opercular apparatus is naked ; scales being observed upon the posterior flap of 

 the opercle only. 



The ground color is deep reddish brown above, yellowish brown beneath. The anterior por- 

 tion of the back and head is almost black. Cloud-like patches of blackish, here and there, with 

 numerous small black spots, more defined on the head than on the body, and much larger on 

 the fins. The belly is of a dull white ; the throat yellowish ; the inferior surface of the head 

 whitish and brownish. 



Beferences to the figures. — Plate XVII, fig. 1, represents Sco7-paena guttata, somewhat reduced 

 in size. Fig. 2 is a scale from the dorsal region. Fig. B, a scale from the lateral line. Fig. 4, 

 a scale from the middle of the abdomen. 



