Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 1273 



below, everywhere shaded with red, especially on head; eye scarlet; a 

 large blackish blotch on side, chiefly above lateral line and below first 

 rays of soft dorsal ; maxillary yellow on covered parts ; narrow bronze 

 streaks following the rows of scales, these streaks distinct chiefly above 

 the lateral line ; dorsal fin pale, edged with blood- red; caudal deep red; 

 anal, ventrals, and pectorals scarlet; the bright colors fade and disappear 

 in spirits, leaving the back dark gray, the lower parts silvery, more or 

 less flushed with red. Described from a Cuban specimen 10 inches long. 

 West Indies ; a small species, rather common in the markets of Havana, 

 where it is known as ojanco, in allusion to the large eye. It does not reach 

 a large size, (mahogoni, the English mahogany, from the brown coloration.) 



Mesoprion mahogoni, CUVIER &. VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poias., H, 447, 1828, Martinique; 



GUNTHER, Cat., 1,203 



Mesoprion ricardi, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., n, 447, 1828, Martinique. 

 Mesoprion ojanco, POEY, Memoriaa, n, 150, pi. 13, fig. 10, 1860, Cuba. 

 Lutjanus ojanco, POEY, Enumeratio, 28, 1875. 

 Lutjanus mahogoni, JORDAN & SWAIN, 1. c., 451 ; u ORDAN & FESLER, I. c.,451. 



Subgenus RAIZERO, Jordan &. Feeler. 

 1648. NEOMJEXIS ARATUS (Giinther). 



(PARGO DE JtAI/KRO.) 



Head 3; depth 31. D. XI, 12; A. Ill, 7; scales 4f-45-12. Body oblong- 

 elliptical, slenderer and less compressed than in other species of NeomoBnis, 

 the back broad and little elevated; profile a little depressed above the 

 snout, then convex above the eyes, thence nearly straight to front of 

 dorsal ; snout not very long, 3 in head ; mouth moderate, somewhat ob- 

 lique, the jaws subequal; maxillary extending to beyond front of eye, its 

 length 2 in head. Teeth moderate ; canines of upper jaw not very large; 

 the enlarged teeth of lower jaw scarcely caninelike; teeth on tongue in 

 a large patch, developed in adult examples, but not evident in the young; 

 teeth on vomer in a V-shaped patch, without backward prolongation on the 

 median line; palatine teeth in a broad patch; no teeth on pterygoids. 

 Eye large, 5 in head; interorbital area broad and convex, its width 4 in 

 head : preorbital moderate, its least breadth 6 in head. Nostrils small, 

 well separated, oblong, the anterior but little the larger. Preopercle 

 with its posterior limb slanting downwards and forwards, with a mod- 

 erate euiargination, sharply and finely serrate above, the teeth at the 

 angle coarser and directed somewhat forwards. Gill rakers few and 

 rather small, about 7 on lower part of anterior arch, not preceded by rudi- 

 ments. Scales large, arranged very regularly in horizontal series parallel 

 with the lateral line, both above and below ; cheeks with 6 rows of scales; 

 nape with a band of about 3 series of moderate scales; soft dorsal and 

 anal well scaled; tubes of lateral line well branched. Dorsal spines mod- 

 erate, the longest 2f in head; soft dorsal rather low and short; caudal 

 rather deeply lunate, the upper lobe 1J in head; anal low, its longest rays 

 2g in head; anal spines graduated, the second spine shorter and stouter 

 3030 3 



