Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 1145 



rather small, subequal ; iuterorbital space narrow, flattish, with a median 

 depression, its width 7 in head. Preopercle with weak serrations, its out- 

 line convex, with a slight and shallow emargination, its angle not salient. 

 Opercle with 3 distinct spines. Nostrils small, subequal. Gill rakers 

 slender, x -f 17 or 18, the longest as long as gill fringes. Scales rather 

 large, mostly strongly ctenoid. Dorsal spines slender, pungent, the 

 fourth and fifth highest ; the outline of the fin above nearly straight. 

 Caudal truncate, its angles slightly rounded, its longest (middle) rays If 

 in head, scarcely longer than the outer rays ; anal high, rounded, its 

 longest rays 2 in head ; second anal spine stronger and rather longer than 

 third, 2f in head; pectoral long, reaching much past tips of ventrals, \\ 

 in head ; ventral short, not reaching vent. Color in the typical form 

 (fulvus) : In life, lemon yellow, being somewhat orange red on the back ; 

 two black spots on back of tail ; a few sky-blue spots on body anteriorly, 

 and on head with darker margins; a few violet spots about eye; fins 

 colored like body ; head, pectorals and dorsal a little redder than rest of 

 fish. Edge of spinous dorsal blackish. Color in spirits, olivaceous yel- 

 low; other col&r variations indicated below. Length about a foot. 

 West Indies ; ranging from Bermuda and Florida Keys to Bahia ; every- 

 where very common, the brown and the red forms most so, the yellow or 

 typical variety scarce in the markets of Cuba and not yet recorded from 

 Florida. This is probably confined to water still deeper than that 

 inhabited by the red variety, (fulvus, tawny in color.) 



Turdus cauda convexa (the Yellow Fish), CATESBY, Nat. Hist. Carol., pi. x, fig.2, 1743, Bahamas. 



Labrus fulvus, LINNJEUS, Syst. Nat., Ed. x, 1758, 287, Bahamas; after CATESBY. 



Guativere amarilla, PARRA, Descr. Dif. Piezas, Hist. Nat. Cuba, 1787, lam. v, fig. 2, Cuba. 



Holocentrus auraius, BLOCK, Ichthyol., vn, 57, pi. 236, 1792, East Indies. 



Bodianus guativere, BLOCH & SCHNEIDER, Syst. Ichth., 1801, 336; based on PARRA'S figures. 



Serranus auratus, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., n, 364,1828. 



Serranus guativere, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., u, 383, 1828, on PARRA'S second 



figure; POEY, Repertorio, i, 203. 

 Enneacentrus fulvus, JORDAN & SWAIN, I. c., 402, 1884, 

 Bodianus fulvus, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, I. c., 379. 



Represented at moderate depths, especially in the West Indies, by the 

 scarlet form or variety 



1541a. BODIANUS FULVUS RUBER (Bloch & Schneider). 

 (RED GuATivERE ; OUATILIBI.) 



Color in life, vivid scarlet ; spots on head nearly black ; others light 

 blue, with a purplish border; two black spots on lower jaw and two on 

 back of tail ; caudal paler than body, with a few scattering dark points ; 

 ventrals and anal edged with dusky. Pectorals paler than dorsal. In 

 spirits this fish becomes pale, almost cream color ; spots on head dark, the 

 others brown, with grayish margins. West Indies, etc.; very common. 

 (ruber, red.) 



Carauna, MARCGRAVE, Hist. Brasil, 1648, 147, Brazil. 



Guativere, PARRA, Descr. Dif. Piezas, Hist. Nat., 1787, lam. v, fig. 1, Cuba. 



Perca punctata, BLOCH; Ichth., 314, 1792, Martinique; on a figure by PLUMIER. 



