Jordan and Evermann .Fishes of North America. 1461 



589. MICROPOGON, Cuvier & Valenciennes. 



(CKOAKERS.) 



Micropogon, CUVIER <fc VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 213, 1830 (lineatus=undulatus) . 

 Body moderately elongate, compressed, somewhat elevated; preopercle 

 strongly serrate; teeth in villiform bands, the outer row in the upper jaw 

 enlarged ; lower jaw with a row of minute barbels on each side; gill rakers 

 short, thickish; spinous dorsal rather short of 10 or 11 stoutish spines; 

 second anal spine moderate; caudal fin double truncate; lower pharyn- 

 geals narrow, distinct, with sharp conical teeth; air bladder with long 

 horns. A well-marked genus, the species all American, allied to Ophioscion 

 and Sciwnops, but distinguished by the presence of barbels; species all 

 closely related, similar in form, size, and color. (jiiixpo$, small; TtooyGov, 

 beard. ) 



MICROPOGON : 

 a. Dorsal rays X-I, 28 to 30. 



b. Scales comparatively small, about 9 in a vertical series between front of dorsal 



and lateral lino, 12 mail oblique series; outer teeth of upper jaw evidently 



enlarged; dark spots on scales above lateral line not forming continuous 



stripes; scales 54. UNDULATUS, 1843. 



bb. Scales larger, 7 in a vertical series from front of dorsal to lateral line, 9 or 10 



in an oblique series; teeth of outer series in upper jaw scarcely enlarged; 



dark spots above lateral line forming continuous streaks nearly as wide as 



interspaces ; short vertical bars extending across lateral line ; many oblique 



lines above these; markings more regular, though less sharply denned 



than in M. undulatus. 



c. Second anal spine moderate, 5 in head; eye small, 6 in head; scales 54. 



FURNIERI, 1844. 



cc. Second anal spine very strong, 2 to 3 in head ; eye very large, 4 to 4 in 

 head; no distinct oblique streaks above lateral line; axil blackish. 

 Head 4; depth 4f. D. X-I, 28; A. II, 7; scales 7-50-14. 



MEGALOPS, 1845. 



aa. Dorsal rays X-I, 24 to 26; snout little projecting; outer teeth above scarcely 

 enlarged; depth 3 in length; back with dark oblique streaks; gill cavity 

 dusky within ; scales 48, 53 pores. ECTENES, 1846. 



aaa. Dorsal rays X-I, 20 to 22 ; outer teeth above scarcely enlarged ; snout somewhat 

 projecting ; body deeper, depth 3| in length ; scales 42, 40 pores. 



ALTIPINNIS, 1847. 



1843. MICROPOG01V UNDULATUS* (Linnaeus). 



(CROAKER; RONCADINA; CORVINA.) 



Head 3; depth 3|. D. X-I, 28 or 29; A. II, 7; scales 9-54. Body rather 

 robust, the back somewhat elevated and compressed, the profile rounded, 



*Dr. Berg speaks of Micropogon undulatus as the most common shore fish of Uruguay, 

 being caught each year in millions. He counts : D. X-I, 26 to 29 ; scales 8 or 9-55-16 or 17. 

 This Uruguayan fish is, therefore, probably not the same as Micropogon furnieri, its rays 

 and scales agreeing rather with M. undulatus. But the true undulatus has not been 

 recorded from the West Indies. It may not unlikely be found that the Brazil-Uruguayan 

 form, Micropogon opercularis (Quoy & Gaimard), is a distinct species which has not" yet 

 been properly distinguished from M. undulatus. The following is the synonymy of Micro- 

 pogon opercularis : 



Micropogon opercularis (QuoY & GAIMARD). 



Scicena opercularis, QUOY & GAIMARD, Voy. Uran., Zool., 347, 1824, Rio Janeiro. 

 Micropogon lineatus, CUVIER & VALENCIENNES, Hist. Nat. Poiss., v, 215, 1830, Brazil, 



Porto Rico, Havana (in part, not types, which were from New York.) 

 Micropogon undulatus, BERG, Ann. Mus. Buenos Ayres 1895, 54. 



