326 FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



composed of weak, close-set spines; posterior dorsal low, with numerous soft 

 rays. About 5 American species, 3 of which are found on our southern coast. 

 {Eques, a horseman.) 



281. EQUES ACUMINATUS (Bloch & Schneider). 

 Ribbon-fish. 



Grammistes acuminatus Bloch & Schneider, Systema Ichthyologise, 184, 1801; no locality given. 

 Eques acummaius, Jordan & Evermann, 1898, 1487. 



Diagnosis. — Form elongate, compressed, with steep profile, the greatest depth contained 

 2.6 times in length; maxillary extending beyond center of pupil and contained 3 times in length 

 of head; eye less than snout, .25 head; interorbital space less than eye; gill-rakers short and 

 slender, 6+ 9 on first arch; scales rather large, about 50 in lateral series; dorsal rays x+ i,38 

 (to 40), the spines not much elevated, the longest .22 length of body and .62 head; anal rays 

 11,7, the second spine .42 head; caudal margin straight; pectorals .63 head. Color: adults dark 

 brown, with about 7 lengthwise whitish stripes on body and head; fins dusky, {acuminatus, 

 ending in a sharp point.) 



The recorded range of this species is from Charleston, through the West 

 Indies, to Brazil. It has not heretofore been noted from North Carolina, and 

 may occur there only as a straggler, although more likely it occurs regularly 

 south of Cape Hatteras in suitable haunts. One specimen was taken in Beau- 

 fort Harbor in September, 1903; another was caught in a trap at the laboratory 

 wharf in October of the same year; a third specimen was brought to notice by 

 the explosion of a charge of dynamite in a wrecked bark in Beaufort Harbor on 

 Nov. 23, 1903; and another was obtained sometime during the summer of that 

 year. In the summer of 1904 still another specimen was collected at Beaufort 

 by Dr. E. W. Gudger. These specimens were from 3 to 5 inches long, and all 

 were of a light color, with about 7 dark brown lengthwise stripes. Apparently, 

 as the fish grows the width of the dark stripes increases and encroaches on the 

 original light ground-color, so that finally the general color becomes dark brown, 

 with pale longitudinal stripes (so-called variety umbrosus). 



Family LABRID^E, The Labrids, or Lipped Fishes. 



A very numerous and important family, found mostly in tropical waters 

 but also represented in temperate regions. The family takes its name from the 

 presence of conspicuous thick, longitudinally-folded lips in each jaw, which char- 

 acter, together with protractile premaxillaries, maxillaries without supplemental 

 bone, and strong, prominent jaw teeth, gives to the mouth a peculiar appearance. 

 Body moderately elongate, in some species greatly compressed, and covered 

 with persistent cycloid scales; mouth terminal and usually of small or moderate 

 size, with no vomerine or palatine teeth; jaw teeth separate or else fused at their 

 base; lower pharyngeal bones firmly united and surmounted with conical or 

 tubercular teeth; nostrils round, without flaps, and double on each side, branchi- 

 ostegals 5 or 6, pseudobranchise well developed, and gill-arches 3.5; pyloric 

 coeca absent; air-bladder present; dorsal fin continuous and usually long, the 



