Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 1269 



1644. NE03LENIS GUTTATUS (Steindaclmer). 



(FLAMENCO.) 



Head 2f ; depth 2f. D. X, 12 (rarely XI, 11) ; A. Ill, 8 ; scales (6) 7-53-15, 

 53 pores. Body oblong, compressed, the back rather more elevated than 

 in N. synagris, the anterior profile nearly straight from snont to above eye, 

 thence rather strongly convex; snout pointed, rather long, 3 in head; 

 eye large, 4 in head; interorbital space gently convex, its width 5f in 

 head ; occipital keel rather prominent ; preorbita^narrow, its least width 

 7 in head; maxillary extending to somewhat beyond front of orbit, 2-^ in 

 head. Teeth as in N. synagris, the canines in upper jaw small, those of 

 lower jaw inconspicuous ; tongue with a single large oblong patch of teeth ; 

 voiner with an A-shaped patch of teeth, the prolongation on the median 

 line rather short. Gill rakers rather long, about 9 on lower part of arch, 

 with a few rudiments in front of them. Posterior limb of preopercle extend- 

 ing downward and forward, the emargination broad and rather shallow; 

 teeth at angle of preopercle rather coarse, those above emargination much 

 finer. Scales rather large, those below lateral line in series which are 

 almost horizontal, those above in series which are very oblique and for the 

 most part regular and nearly straight; cheek with 6 rows of scales, inter- 

 opercle with 1; temporal region with a series of large scales, before and 

 behind which is a broad band of small ones; bases of soft dorsal and anal 

 scaly. Dorsal spines rather slender and weak, the outline of the fin gently 

 convex, the longest spine 2$ in head; soft dorsal short and moderately 

 high, its margin angulated, the eighth ray about longer than last 

 ray, and 2| in head; caudal lunate, the upper lobe 1| in head; anal 

 moderate, rounded in outline, its longest ray 2? in head; first soft ray 

 reaching tip of last ray when the fin is depressed; second anal spine 

 stronger than the third and of about equal length, 4^ in head ; ventrals 

 If in head; pectorals long, nearly reaching front of anal, 1 in head. 

 Color in spirits brown above, the sides bright silvery; a large round, 

 black, lateral blotch, as large as eye, on lateral line below front of soft 

 dorsal ; each scale above lateral line with a faint darker grayish median 

 spot, these forming oblique streaks ; sides of head often with similar spots ; 

 two or three similar streaks often present below lateral line, these straight 

 and horizontal ; each series of scales below lateral line with a narrow yel- 

 low stripe; snout and preorbital with dark vermiculations ; fins all pale. 

 In life, light olivaceous above, the markings bronze-olive; sides pale 

 crimson, the marks more yellow; belly golden-yellow; scarlet on iris, 

 yellow about eye; first dorsal reddish, second with reddish-brown mark- 

 ings ; caudal deep rich red ; lower fins golden ; pectoral nearly colorless ; 

 sides of head pink with golden stripes. Described from a specimen from 

 Mazatlan 10| inches in length. West coast of Mexico from Guaymas to 

 Panama. It is a common food-fish at Guaymas, Mazatlan, and Panama; a 

 small species rarely more than a foot in length, representing Neom-aenw 

 synagris in the Pacific, (guttatus, spotted.) 



Hesoprion guttatus, STEINDACHNER, Ichth. Notizen, ix, 18, pi. 8, 1869, Mazatlan. 



Lutjanus guttatus, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1881, 354; JORDAN & GILBERT, 

 Bull. U. S. Fish Comm. 1882, 107, 110; JORDAN & SWAIN, 1. c., 447 ; EVERMANN & JENKINS, 

 Proc.U. S. Nat. Mus. 1891, 147; JORDAN, 1. c., 181, 1889; JORDAN & FESLER, I. c., 440. 



Lutianus guttatus, JORDAN, Fishes Sinaloa, 456. 



