Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 1485 



596. EQUES, Bloch. 



(RIBBON-FISHES. ) 



Eques, BLOCH, Ichthyologia, 1793 (americanus^=lanceolatus). 



E quietus, HAFINESQUE, Analyse de la Nature 1815, 86 (americanug) ; substitute for Eques, 



the latter name being considered too abort. 

 Pareques (GiLL MS.) GOODE, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., v, 50, 1875 (acuminatus) . 



Body oblong, compressed, the back much elevated anteriorly, rapidly 

 tapering to the narrow caudal peduncle; mouth small, the lower jaw 

 included; preorbital wide; snout with slits and pores well developed; 

 teeth all villiforin, in broad bands, the outer scarcely enlarged; preopercle 

 with a fringed border and no bony seme; scales small, irregular, with 

 smaller ones intermixed, extending on soft fins; gill rakers few, short and 

 slender; dorsal fin very long, of 9 to 15 close-set spines and 36 to 55 soft 

 rays; anterior interneurals closely wedged in behind the occiput; anal 

 small, its spine small; caudal rhombic; pyloric ca?ca few; vertebrae 

 10+15=25. This genus is one of the most remarkable in the family in 

 respect to form as well as to the coloration of its species, (eqww, horse; 

 sj horseman, the long dorsal spines suggesting the rider.) 





PARAQUES (rrapa, near ; Eques) : 

 a. Dorsal rays X to XII-I, 36 to 46, first 4 to 6 of tbe interneurals wedged in between 



neurals of second and tliird vertebra. 

 b. Profile steep, but not vertical ; distance from snout to first dorsal spine about 



equal to depth of body. 

 c. Dorsal spines little elevated, not nearly as long as head ; back arched ; dor- 



sal with 38 to 41 soft rays. 



d . Color deep violet, bronze or gray, without distinct lengthwise streaks ; 

 depth 25 to 3 in length. VIOLA, 1872. 



dd. Color variously dusky or gray, with at least traces of about 7 length- 

 wise streaks; depth 2g to 2| in length. ACUMINATUS. 1873. 



cc. Dorsal spines elevated, the longest 2| in length of body; soft parts of ver- 

 tical fins with white spots; body robust, the back much compressed, 

 the general form much as in Eques acuminatus, but the caudal pedun- 

 cle deeper and more compressed ; pectorals and ventrals short and 

 equal, 1} in head. Color, dark brown, a light bar in front of eye ex- 

 tending around the chin, a second pale bar extending around the head 

 immediately behind the eyes, a. third extending from in front of dorsal 

 over base of pectorals; a light bar along base of soft dorsal; a light 

 bar extending from behind the elevated portion of the spinous dorsal 

 downward, dividing into two, the branches running straight back, 

 the upper branch to beginning of last fourth of soft dorsal, the lower 

 branch to base of caudal; 2 or 3 light, undulating longitudinal bars 

 below these; fins all dark brown, vertical fins with many whitish stel- 

 late spots. Head 3| in length ; depth 3. D. XI or XII-I, 46. 



PUNCTATUS, 1874. 



bb. Profile very steep. Body deepest below first dorsal spine, thence rapidly 



tapering to the narrow caudal peduncle. Color olivaceous, 3 dark brown 



longitudinal bands along the sides, the middle one from eye backward 



reaching tips of the middle caudal rays. D. X-I,3 7. puLCHER,1875. 



EQUES : 



aa. Dorsal rays XI V or XV-1, 53 ; about 9 interneurals wedged in between neurals of 

 second and third vertebra;; profile almost vertical; body highly variegated. 

 with ribbon-like oblique bands. LANCEOLATUS, 1876. 



