83 FISHES OF SINALOA. 455 
vu 
/ 
caudal 134; preorbital 33 (4% in smaller specimens 20 
inches long; 5 in those of one foot long). 
Body very robust, not much compressed, the back not 
sharp. Head very large, the mouth very large, reaching 
middle of eye. Canines very strong, in front of jaw 
and on sides of lower. Vomerine teeth in a V-shaped 
patch, not prolonged behind. Gill-rakers 7, very small, 
the longest less than pupil. Posterior nostril oblong, much 
longer than anterior. Preopercle slightly notched; 7 or 
8 rows of scales on cheeks. 
Dorsal deeply notched, rather low. Soft dorsal low 
and rounded. Anal low and rounded. Pectoral long and 
pointed. Caudal short, scarcely concave. Anal spines 
short, graduated. Scales above lateral line not in a paral- 
lel series. 
Maroon color above, copper red below, becoming sal- 
mon color before. Fins blackish, tinged with maroon. 
Pectoral dull yellow olive, blackish at tip; a blackish 
cross spot on base of pectoral, growing faint with age. 
Inside of the mouth salmon. Ventral quite dark, the tips 
black. Iris salmon color; no blue spots or line below eye. 
Young with spinous dorsal edged with black; anal and 
caudal black; ventrals black tipped. A black crescent 
on upper part of base of pectoral. 
Young of one foot, black with progressively less red 
and narrow preorbital. Color largely blackish, tinged 
with copper on belly and lower parts. 
The young are called Pargo Negro; the half grown, 
Pargo Prieto; the adult Pargo Marenio, or Maroon Snap- 
per. 
125. Lutianus argentiventris (Peters). PArco AmMarR- 
ILO! 
Very abundant everywhere about Mazatlan, and prob- 
ably common all the way from Guaymas to Panama. It 
