Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 1307 



Hcemulon xanthopteron, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 254, 1830 



Martinique. 



Hcemulon xanthopterum, GUNTHER, Cat., I, 312, 1859. 

 Hcemulon flavolineatum, POEY, Repertorio, i, 309, 1867; JORDAN & FESLER, I. c., 476; 



JORDAN & SWAIN, I.e., 305. 



538. BRACHYGENYS, Scudder. 

 Srachygenys (SCUDDER MS.) POEY, Synopsis Piscium Cubensium, 310, 1868 (tceniatum) . 



This genus differs from Hcvmnlon in the small mouth and slender body, 

 the cleft of the mouth being less than head, the snout very short, the 

 frontal foramina separate, placed some distance before the very short 

 supraoccipital crest. Jaws red within. One species known. (fipaxvS, 

 short; yevvt, chin.) 



1674. BRACHYGENYS CHRYSARGYREUS (Giinther). 



Head 3 J ; depth 3^ to 3f ; eye very large, 3. . D. XII, 14 ; A. Ill, 9 ; scales 

 7-52-13. Body more elongate than in any of the other species, except B. 

 aurolineatttm, moderately compressed, the back little elevated, the profile 

 forming a weak but nearly regular curve from in front of eyes to dorsal; 

 before the eyes is a slight angle and the profile of the snout is rather 

 more steep; snout very short and obtuse, its length 3f in head; mouth 

 very small for the genus, smaller than in any other species, its gape but 

 little curved; maxillary reaching a little past front of eye, its length 3 

 in head; teeth weaker than in any other of our species, the posterior 

 teeth scarcely enlarged; interorbital space broad, convex, its breadth 4 

 in head; preorbital very low, its least breadth 7| in head. Preopercle 

 evenly and rather sharply serrate. Gill rakers small, 8 + 15. Scales small, 

 very regularly arranged, those above lateral line in very oblique series, 

 those below in horizontal series. Dorsal spines slender and high, the 

 fourth If in head ; upper caudal lobe 1 ; posterior of anal concave, longest 

 rays 2 in head, their tips not nearly reaching, when depressed, to the tips 

 of the last rays; second anal spine short and weak, 2 in head, not longer 

 than third, and but little stronger, its tip, when depressed, reaching to 

 base of the median soft rays and not to the tip of the third spine ; ventrals 

 If in head; pectorals 1= ; frontal foramina separate, some distance before 

 the very low supraoccipital crest. Color in life, bluish above, white below, 

 sides with 5 stripes of clear bronze-orange, 4 most distinct, all of equal 

 width, about half pupil ; a median stripe from middle of interorbital space 

 to dorsal; the next pair from tip of snout above to last rays of dorsal? 

 becoming median on caudal peduncle; 1 from nostril above eye to below 

 last rays of soft dorsal; 1 through snout and eye, straight to base of 

 caudal; 1 below eye to lower part of caudal; a very faint one from angle 

 of mouth and along lower part of sides; axil slightly dusky ; fins all light 

 orange-yellow, unmarked; dorsal and anal with very narrow dusky edge; 

 no trace of dark caudal spot ; mouth pale reddish within in young, light 

 orange in adults. In spirits the body and head are bluish-silvery. This 

 little nsh, the smallest of the group, is abundant both at Key West and 



