Jordan and Rvermann. Fishes of North America. 1149 



a notch or cavity on the anterior end of the frontals. Preopercle moder- 

 ately serrate behind, its lower limb entire, without distinct antrorse 

 spine; opercle with two strong spines. Nostrils well separated. Mouth 

 large ; maxillary large, with a well-developed supplemental bone, its sur- 

 face usually Avith small scales. Canine teeth few, large in the front of 

 the jaws; enlarged teeth of the inner series of each jaw depressible. 

 Gill rakers short and rather few. Dorsal spines usually 11, rarely 10, not 

 filamentous, the last ones somewhat shorter than the middle ones. Anal 

 spines 3, the second usually the larger ; the number of soft rays 7 to 9. 

 Caudal fin rounded or lunate. Pyloric coeca few (usually 10-20). Pec- 

 torals rounded, shortish, nearly symmetrical, of 15 to 20 rays. Ventrals 

 moderate, inserted below pectorals, close together, each with a strong 

 spine. Species very numerous, most of them of large size, abound- 

 ing in all the tropical seas, where they are valuable food-fishes. This is 

 the largest and most important genus of the Serranidw, and its species 

 are most widely distributed. (knLvetye'Xos, clouded over, in allusion to the 

 membrane suppqsed to cover the eye in the typical species.) 



I. SCHISTORUS (O-XIOTO?, split; opo?, for pylorus): Nostrils unequal, the posterior much the 

 larger, 3 times diameter of anterior; preopercle with 2 or 3 small irregular teeth below 

 its angle; pyloric cosca in increased number; head large. 



a. Second and third anal spines about. equal in length; color brownish, with about 8 darker 

 cross bands; dark bands radiating from eye; a dark mustache above maxillary; a 

 dark blotch on back of caudal peduncle. MYSTACINUS, 1545. 



II. EPINEPHELUS: Nostrils subequal, the posterior scarcely larger than anterior; pyloric coeca > 



in moderate number. 



. Second dorsal spine short, lower than third or fourth, the fin not much notched; caudal 

 rounded more or less; lower opercular spine inserted farther back than upper. 

 Lateral teeth* of lower jaw in more than 2 rows, at least in the adult. Interorbital 

 space of moderate width, its breadth more than half diameter of eye and 7 to 10 

 times in length of head. 



b. Dorsal spines 10; body with faint, dark cross shades and many round, dark orange spots, 

 these extending on the fins; vertical fins not edged with black; preopercle without 

 salient angle; maxillary naked; lower jaw strongly projecting (in all respects 

 except the number of spines almost identical with E. adscensionis). 



ANALOGUS, 1546. 



bb. Dorsal spines 11; preopercle without distinct spinules on its lower limb, 

 c. Maxillary naked. 



d. Lower jaw strongly projecting. 



e. Body and head covered with red or orange spots (dusky in spirits and always 

 darker than the ground color); vertical fins without dark edge, their 

 bases spotted like the body; body with large pale spots besides the 

 orange spots; young with large black blotches at base of dorsal; angle 

 of preopercle not salient; form robust. ADSCENSIONIS, 1547. 



ee. Body and head reddish brown, the adult nearly plain, the young with 

 darker spots; vertical fins broadly edged with dark brown. Body 

 robust, the depth 3 in length. D. XI, 15 or 16. Caudal fin convex 

 behind; maxillary naked; dorsal spines low, subequal; iuterorbital 

 moderate, 6% in head; preopercle with strong teeth at its angle, the 

 lower limb entire. GUAZA, 1548. 



* Lateral teeth of lower jaw in two rows only in the group or subgenus Hyposerranw, Klun- 

 zinger. 



