1148 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 



the opercular membrane. First dorsal spine very short, the third the 

 highest, half length of head, the fourth but little shorter ; in the type speci- 

 men the fifth and sixth rapidly shortened, while the seventh, eighth, and 

 ninth are again lengthened, thus forming a decided notch in the course of 

 the spinous dorsal; spines all with pungent tips; dorsal membranes from 

 third to sixth spines very deeply incised, that between third and fourth 

 joining latter on the basal f of its length; soft dorsal and anal pointed, 

 not falcate, the outline behind angle straight; anal higher than the dor- 

 sal, but shorter than the spinous dorsal; caudal rounded, If in the head; 

 pectorals long, reaching beyond the ventrals, and nearly to front of anal; 

 first anal spine concealed in our single specimen, probably mutilated, the 

 second stronger but much shorter than the third, which is contained 4 in 

 the length of the head. Color of head and body uniform, probably red 

 in life ; a black streak on cheeks, following hinder edge of maxillary: 

 fins all blackish on distal half; basal part of fins scaly. A single speci- 

 men, 16 inches long, from Albatross Station 3017, in 58 fathoms, near Cape 

 Lobos, on the eastern shore of the Gulf of California. This peculiar spe- 

 cies is characterized by its convex caudal, plain coloration (varied only 

 by a black streak behind maxillary), its comparatively large, smooth 

 scales, the naked maxillary, and the very high spinous dorsal with its 

 deeply incised membranes. Gulf of California; one specimen known. 

 (unavtia, spine; larlov, sail.) (Gilbert.) 



Bodiamis acanthistius, GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1891, 552, Cape Labos, on the eastern 

 shore of Gulf of California. (Type, No. 46940. Coll. Albatross.) 



500. EPINEPHELUS, Bloch. 

 (GROUPERS.) 



Epinephelus, BLOCH, Ichthyologia, 1793, (after, marginalis, brunneus, merra, ruber, etc., restricted to 



marginalis by authors). 

 Cerna, BONAPARTE, Introduzione alia Classe Pesci, Fauna Italica, tome in, pt. 1, 1833, (gigas = 



guaza). 



Cynichthys, SWAINSON, Nat. Hist. Classn. Fishes, n, 201, 1839, (flavo-purpuratus). 

 Cromileptes, SWAINSON, Nat. Hist. Classn. Fishes, n, 201, 1839, (gigas, etc.). 

 Hyporihodus, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1861, 237, (flavicauda = niveatus). 

 Schistorus, GILL, Proc, -Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1862, 237, (mystacinus). 

 Ldbroperca, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1863, 80, (lalriformis). 

 Merus, POEY, Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. N. Y., x. p. 39, 1871, (gigas). 

 Priacanthichthys, DAY, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1868, 193, (maderaspatensis, young). 

 Cerna, DODERLEIN, Revista delle Specie del genere Epinephelus o Cerna, 1873, (gigas). 

 Homalogrystes, ALLEYNE & MACLEAY, Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wales, i, 1876, 268, pi. vi,flg. 3, 



(guntheri). 

 Hyposerranus, KLUNZINGER, Fische des Rothen Meeres, 3, 1884, (morrhua). 



Body stout, compressed, covered with small, ctenoid scales, which are 

 often somewhat embedded in the skin ; scales of the lateral line triangu- 

 lar, cycloid ; soft parts of the vertical fins generally more or less scaly. 

 Cranium narrow above. Parietal crests not produced on frontals which 

 are without transverse ridge posteriorly ; frontals with a process or knob 

 ou each side behind interorbital area ; premaxillary processes fitting into 



