282 



FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



This species, which Uves on rocky bottom in rather deep water off Charleston, 

 South Carolina, is also known from the North Carolina coast at Beaufort. Dr. 

 Jenkins obtained a few specimens in Beaufort Harbor in 1885. In the summer 

 of 1902, 8 specimens were taken in a trawl by the steamer Fish-Hawk near the 

 sea buoy off Beaufort Inlet; and 2 others, 4 inches long, were seined on Bird 

 Shoal in Beaufort Harbor in 1903. The maximum size is about 1 foot. 



Genus DIPLECTRUM Holbrook. Squirrel-fishes. 



Small American marine species, with preopercle armed with 2 clusters of 

 strong spines; low dorsal fin, vrithout elongated rays; deeply concave caudal fin; 

 rounded pectorals; small scales, and top of head with a large bare area. Five 

 known species, 1 found on the South Atlantic Coast. {Diplectrum, double spur.) 



247. DIPLECTRUM FORMOSUM (Linnseus). 

 Squirrel-fish, 



Perca formosa Linnceus, Systema Naturae, ed. xii, 488, 1766; Carolina. 

 Diplectrum formosum, Jordan & Evermann, 1896, 1207, pi. cxci, fig. 502. 



^^yyy^y^ 



Fig. 125. Squirrel-fish. Diplectrum formosum. 



Diagnosis. — Body elongate, depth contained 3.4 times in total length; head contained 

 3.33 times in length; mouth large, maxillary extending to pupil, lower jaw the longer; eye .2 

 length of head, shorter than snout; preopercle with finely serrate upper margin and 2 patches 

 of divergent spines; gill-rakers 14 or 15 below angle of first arch; scales in lateral series 80 to 

 90, in transverse series 30; numerous rows of scales on cheeks and opercles; dorsal rays x,12, 

 all low, the longest .5 head; anal rays iii,7, soft rays of uniform length, the spines shorter and 

 weak; caudal concave. Color: dull, light brownish above, white below; 7 or 8 rather broad 

 dark cross-bands, 3 or 4 dark longitudinal stripes, 8 narrow blue longitudinal stripes; head yel- 

 low, with 5 or 6 wavy blue stripes below eye; 5 narrow blue cross-bars between eyes; dark spot 

 at base of caudal; dorsal yellowish gT-een with 2 median blue cross-lines which iorm ocelli pos- 

 teriorly; caudal like dorsal; otlier fins white, {formosum, handsome.) 



This beautiful little serranid, which ranges as far south as Uruguay, has not 

 heretofore been recorded north of Charleston, South Carolina. In the summer 

 of 1903, 4 young specimens were caught in the laboratory seine in Beaufort 

 Harbor. The species is usually found on sandy shores, takes the baited hook 

 readily, reaches a length of a foot, and is a good food fish. 



