1234 Bulletin 47, United States National Museum. 



eye; preopercle with only 2 developed spines, the uppermost being 

 usually wholly wanting; the median spine often divided, the lower one 

 largest and directed partly downward ; opercular spines small ; first dor- 

 sal spine a little lower than second, which is nearly or quite free from 

 the soft rays; gill rakers short and thick, close-set, 8 to 10 in number. 

 Color dusky olive brown, somewhat clouded; sides with a few irregular 

 whitish spots; young spotted with brownish. South Atlantic Coast of 

 United States, in rather deep water, frequent off Charleston, Pensacola, 

 and Key West, occasional as far north as Newport, Rhode Island ; here 

 described from specimens from Pensacola. ( Mstrispinus, twice three spines. ) 



Bodianus listrispimis, MITCHILL, Am. Monthly Magazine and Crit. Review, Feb., 1818, 247, 



Straits of Bahama. 

 Rhypticus maculatus, HOLBROOK, Ichth. S. Car., Ed. 1, 39, 1856, and Ed. 2, 42, 1860, Cape 



Remain, South Carolina; GUNTHER, Cat. Fishes, i, 173; JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 



543, 1883. 

 Rhypticus pUuitosus, GOODE & BEAN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1879, 341, Key West; JORDAN & 



GILBERT, Synopsis, 543, 1883. 



Rhypticus decoratw, JORDAN & GILBERT, Synopsis, 543, 1883 (not of GILL). 

 Ryplicus bistrispinus, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, I c., 338, 1890; BOULENGER, Cat., i, 350. 



1622. RYPTICUS NIGRIPINNIS,* Gill. 



Head 3 to 3|; depth 3 to 4. D. 11-24 to 26; A. 16; pores 80 to 85. 

 Body more slender than in E. bistrispinus, the depth about equal to length 

 of head and less than the length, even in the adult ; back little ele- 

 vated ; preopercle with 3 distinct spines ; maxillary 2f in head, not quite 

 reaching posterior border of eye ; depression before eye slight, the pro- 

 file not very uneven, slightly convex above eye ; eye as long as snout, 5i 

 in head ; lower jaw much projecting ; preopercle with 3 distinct spines, 

 the upper one small, the middle one largest, rarely divided ; opercular 

 spines 3, rather strong, the middle one largest; first dorsal spine slightly 

 longer than second, which is nearly or quite free from the soft rays ; gill 

 rakers short and thick, about 8 developed. Color brownish, irregularly 

 mottled with whitish spots as large as the pupil, some of them with a 

 darker center, these spots extending on all the vertical fins, sometimes 

 wanting in the young; vertical fins and pectorals edged with dusky. 

 Pacific Coast of tropical America, Cape San Lucas to Panama; not 

 uncommon, (niger, black; pinna, fin.) 



Rhypticus nigripinnis, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1861, 53, Panama, (Coll. Dow); BOULEN- 



GEE, Cat., i, 349. 

 Rhypticus maculatus, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1862, 251, Cape San Lucas, (Coll. Xantus); 



not of HOLBROOK. 



Promicropterus decoratm, GILL, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1863, 164, Panama, (Coll. Dow). 

 Rhypticus decoratus, GtJNTHER, Fishes Cen. Am., 412, 1869. 

 Rypticus nigripinnis, JORDAN & EIGENMANN, I. c., 339, 1890. 



* We have examined numerous specimens of this species, including the original types of nigri- 

 pinnis, maculatus, and decoratus. There is no doubt whatever of the identity of these three. 

 R. maculatus, Gill, is said to have 3 dorsal spines, but this is an error, the first (broken) soft 

 ray on the type having been counted as a spine. We have compared R. nigripinnis with R. bis- 

 trispinus, and find the two apparently different, although very nearly related. In nigripinnis the 

 body is less deep, and there are 3 opercular spines, while the Atlantic species has usually but 2. 



