360 FISHES OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



310. PRIONOTUS TRIBULUS (Cuvier). 

 "Flying-fish"; "Flying-toad"; Big-headed Gurnard; Sea-robin. 



Trigla tribulus Cuvier, Regne Animal, ed. 2, vol, 2, 161, 1829; America. 



Prionoius fribuZus, Jordan & Gilbert, 1879, 373; Beaufort. Jordan, 1886, 28; Beaufort. Jenkins, 1887, 91 ; 



Beaufort. Kendall & Smith, 1894, 21; Hatteras Inlet. Jordan & Evermann, 1898, 2171; Beaufort, 



etc. Linton, 1905, 404; Beaufort. 



Diagnosis. — Depth .2 total length of body; head broad, .4 total length; spines and 

 striations on head very strong; maxillary rather less than .5 length of head; pores on lateral 

 line about 50; dorsal rays ix or x + 12 or 13; anal rays 11; pectorals .5 length of body, shorter 

 in young. Color: back light green with dark green reticulations; sides with a bright orange 

 lateral band; under parts white; 2 dark bands below spinous dorsal; anterior dorsal with 

 obscure dark bars and a large black spot between fiftli and sixth spines; posterior dorsal dull 

 reddish, with dark spots; anal similar to soft dorsal; caudal reddish brown, with 3 dark cross- 

 bars; inner surface of pectorals grayish, outer surface light green, with 4 or 5 dark crossbands; 

 free pectorals rays red, barred with dark; ventrals light red. (tribulus, scraping.) 



The big-headed gurnard ranges from New York to Texas, and is common at 

 Beaufort and on other parts of the North CaroUna coast. It is distinguishable 

 from the other local species by the very broad and spinous head, the spines being 

 longer and sharper in the young. The diet is varied, and embraces all kinds of 

 living animals of suitable size; examples examined by Professor Linton at Beau- 

 fort in July and August had eaten fish, worms, crabs, fiddler crabs, shrimp, am- 

 phipods, copepods, horse-shoe crabs, bivalve mollusks, and sea urchins. 



311. PRIONOTUS SCITULUS Jordan & Gilbert. 

 "Flying-fish"; "Flying-toad"; "Slim Flying-toad"; Sea-robin. 



Prionolus scitulus Jordan & Gilbert, Proceedings U. S. National Museum, 1882, 288; Beaufort, N. C. Jordan, 

 1886, 28; Beaufort. Jordan & Evermann, 1898, 2157, pi. cccxix, fig. 769; Beaufort to St. Augustine, 

 Linton, 1905, 404; Beaufort. 



Prionotiispunctatus, Yarrow, 1877, 207; Beaufort. Jordan & Gilbert, 1879, 373; Beaufort. 



Fig. 163. Slender Sea-robin. Prionotus scitulus. 



Diagnosis. — -Form very slender, the depth much less than .2 total length; caudal peduncle 

 much wider than eye; head small, contained 2.75 to 3.6 in total length; mouth small, maxillary 

 short, less than .3 length of head; snout long, .5 head; eye small, .3 snout; interorbital area 

 concave, narrower than eye; spines on top of head short, sharp; gill-rakers long, slender; pores 

 in lateral line 52; dorsal rays x + 13, the spines high, the longest (third) equal to distance from 

 pupil to end of snout, the soft rays low and of uniform length; anal rays 12; caudal square 



