1160 Bulletin ^7, United States National Museum. 



1555. EPINEPHELUS MORIO (Cuvier & Valenciennes). 

 (RED GROUPER; CHEENA AMERICANA; CHERNA DE VIVERO; NEGRE.) 



Head 2; depth 2; eye large, 5 in head (young). D. XI, 16-17; A. 

 Ill, 9, rarely III, 8; scales 18 or 20-130 to 140-60, pores 60 to 65. Body 

 comparatively deep and compressed, highest under front of spinous dor- 

 sal, its greatest width 2 in greatest depth. Head large, moderately 

 pointed, the anterior profile rather steep and nearly straight. Mouth 

 rather large, the maxillary reaching slightly beyond eye, its length 2 in 

 head. Lower jaw not strongly projecting. Teeth moderate, in rather 

 narrow bands; 2 moderate canines in the front of each jaw, the lower 

 smaller. Interorbital space narrow, its width 7| in head, the outline of 

 the bone (under the flesh) transversely concave. Nostrils small, round, 

 subequal. Preopercle moderately serrate, its angle slightly salient; teeth 

 at the angle a little enlarged. Gill rakers rather slender, about 15 below 

 the angle. Scales small, mostly ctenoid. Dorsal spines high, slender but 

 pungent, the first less than half the second, which is highest, 2i in head; 

 the outline of the fin thence almost straight to the tenth spine, which is 

 If in the second; soft dorsal not elevated; caudal fin lunate, the outer 

 rays a little produced, If in the head; caudal peduncle comparatively 

 slender; soft part of anal rounded, its longest ray 2f in head; second 

 anal spine somewhat stronger but not longer than third, 4 in head. 

 Pectorals reaching slightly beyond tips of ventrals, If in head; ventrals 

 short, not reaching vent. Pyloric coeca 25 (according to Poey). Color in 

 life: Olive gray or olive brown, clouded with paler olive, with no clear red 

 shades except on jaws and lower part of sides of head and breast, these 

 regions being usually a salmon color; besides these, very irregular 

 rounded blotches of grayish white over the body; preorbital, suborbital 

 region, and snout with numerous round points of dark orange brown, 

 most numerous on preorbital, these points brown in spirits; inside of 

 mouth posteriorly bright orange ; iris gilt ; vertical fins colored like the 

 body, the shades from the body extending on them; soft dorsal, anal, and 

 caudal with a broad ridge of blue black, with a narrow whitish edge; 

 spinous dorsal narrowly edged with blackish; ventrals slightly dusky; 

 pectorals light olive. With age this species becomes more and more of a 

 flesh red, especially below and on mouth ; the pale spots and blotches 

 are less distinct in old examples. Length 1 to 3 feet. Atlantic Coast of 

 America, from Virginia to Rio Janeiro ; the most abundant of the genus on 

 our coasts; ranging farther northward than any other; a food-fish of 

 importance; handsome in coloration, (mono, Moor, translation of the 

 name negre used at San Domingo.) 



Setranus morio, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., n, 285, 1828, New York and San 



Domingo; GUNTHER, Cat., i, 142,1859; POEY, Enumeratio, 15. 

 Serranm erythrogaster, DE KAY, New York Fauna: Fishes, 21, pi. 19,1842, Florida; GUNTHER, 



Cat., I, 133, 1859. 



Serranus remotus, POEY, Memorias, n, 140, 1860, Havana. 

 Epinephelus morio, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 510, 1883; JORDAN & SWAIN, Proc. U. S. Nat. 



Mus., 1884, 381. 

 Epinephelua morio, JORDAN & EIOENMANN, /. c., 361, 1890; BOULENGER, Cat.,i, 237. 



