﻿276 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. lOO 



Methods. — I follow Storey (1938, p. 6) in the methods of measuring 

 and counting (scale counts excepted), although some of the measure- 

 ments used by her, such as body angles, eye depth, preopercle to eye, 

 depth of the opercular bone, gill-cover depth, and head depth at eye, 

 were omitted in the present study. Other measurements and counts 

 not hitherto used in connection with this genus were found to be useful 

 in separating most of the forms. These additional measurements 

 and counts are self-explanatory, with the exception of the following: 



The distance between the origin of the dorsal fin and the axis of the 

 body is the vertical distance between the origin of the dorsal fin and 

 the imaginary straight line passing through the center of the caudal 

 peduncle and the center of the eye. The predorsal scales were counted 

 from, and including, the first scale visible between the two enlarged 

 and elongate scales at nape to the (usually notched) scale before the 

 first dorsal ray. The transverse scale rows were counted from the 

 upper end of the opercular margin to the caudal base; the longitu- 

 dinal rows, between the origins of the dorsal and pelvic fins. The 

 standard length is always referred to as "length" throughout the 

 work. 



Only Harengula pensacolae cubana, the most distinctive of the new 

 subspecies, is fully described. For the other new subspecies only the 

 distinctive characters are stated. In descriptions, the measurements 

 and coimts of the holotype are given first, followed in parentheses by 

 those of the paratypes. A complete synonymy, including all refer- 

 ences that have come to my attention, followed by short notes in 

 parentheses referring to the contents of the work, is given for each 

 form. The vernacular names are listed in order of importance; those 

 most widely used are given first. Most vernacular names are local 

 and with few exceptions are applied to all forms found in a given 

 locality. These fishes are called "sardine" in English and French, 

 "sardina" in Spanish, and "sardinha" in Portuguese. 



Distribution. — The American forms of the genus Harengula, mostly 

 tropical in distribution, are plankton feeders and occur along the coasts, 

 usually congregating in schools swimming near the surface. They are 

 sometimes found several miles offshore, and some forms ascend 

 brackish-water streams for a short distance. The distribution of the 

 species and subspecies is discussed under each form. 



Relationships. — It was observed that H. humeralis and H. callolepis 

 are closely related and form a pair widely spearated from the others. 

 H. thrissina, although related to H. peruana, differs from the other 

 forms in several important characters. The immediate relationships 

 of H. clupeola are difficult to establish, but the species is well separated 

 from the other forms. The subspecies of H. pensacolae are very 

 closely related to one another and form a group well distinct from 



