1178 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 



Head long, rather pointed, compressed, its anterior profile comparatively 

 evenly curved and not much arched; mouth comparatively large, 

 the maxillary extending (in the young a foot long) slightly beyond the 

 eye, its length 2 in head. In the adult the maxillary is proportionately 

 longer, about half head; teeth in rather narrow bands; each jaw with 

 two canines, the upper rather large and directed little forward, the lower 

 rather small. Interorbital space slightly convex, 7 in head. Gill rakers 

 few, about 12 on lower part of anterior arch. Preopercle with a shallow 

 emargination above the angle, which is somewhat salient and armed with 

 radiating serrse considerably larger than those on the upper limb, which 

 are very fine. Nostrils small, rounded, subequal, not very close together. 

 Scales very small, chiefly cycloid. Dorsal spines comparatively slender 

 and weak, the outline of the fin gently convex ; the tenth spine about as 

 long as second; third and fourth spines longest, 3i in head; caudal dis- 

 tinctly lunate, the outer rays \ longer than the inner, If in head ; anal 

 rather high, its posterior margin convex, the longest ray 2J in head, the 

 spines small, graduated ; pectoral reaching slightly beyond tips of ven- 

 trals, 2 in head. Shade of color variable, those found in shallow water 

 being lighter and more variegated. Specimens from deep water are plain 

 brownish gray, paler below, with no distinct spots or rivulations, but 

 faint traces of darker spotting, which disappear in spirits , a faint mus- 

 tache ; lips not green ; dorsal dark olive, the tip of soft part blue black, 

 its edge narrowly white ; caudal black, with bright-blue shadings, its 

 edge white; anal deep indigo blue, olive at base, its edge white ; pec- 

 torals olive, dusky toward the tip; ventrals blackish, the first ray tipped 

 with white. Specimens taken in shallow water among grass are green 

 olive, mottled with darker green, and variously clouded, but without 

 spots or rivulations ; mustache black ; fins colored as above, distinctly 

 bluish ; radiating streaks of bluish from eye ; all the blue markings of 

 life fade more or less into dusky or grayish in spirits. Length 2 to 3 

 feet. South Atlantic and Gulf Coast of United States, north to Beaufort, 

 North Carolina, and Pensacola; not known from the West Indies. This 

 species ranges farther north on our coasts than any other of the Epinephe- 

 lince except EpinepJielus morio. It reaches a weight of about 50 pounds. 

 Along the coast of Florida it is generally abundant on the banks and 

 reefs, and is an important food-fish, (/u/cpdf, small; AeTn'f, scale.) 



Trisotropis microlepis, GOODE & BEAN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1879, 141, West Florida, (Type, 

 Nos. 5137a; 5137?). Coll. Kaiser & Martin); JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 538, 1883. 



Trisotropis stomias, GOODS & BEAN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1882, 427, Pensacola; Key West, 

 (Type, Nos. 21336, 26561, 26587. Coll. Stearns); JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 918, 971. 



Epinephelus microlepis, JORDAN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1884, 124; BOULENGER, Cat., i, 260. 



Mycteroperca microlepis, JORDAN & SWAIN, 1. c., 367, 1884; JORDAN & EIGENMANN, ?. c., 371, 1890. 



1567. MYCTEROPERCA INTERSTITIALIS (Poey). 



Head 2f ; depth 3 ; eye large, 5| in head. D. XI, 16 or 17 ; A. Ill, 12 ; 

 scales 20-120-x. Body more slender than in any other of the species 

 here described ; its greatest width half its greatest depth ; head not very 

 acute, the anterior profile rather strongly curved, somewhat gibbous 



