i 



Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 1657 



Subgenus LORO, Jordan & Evermann. 

 2074. FSEUDO&CAUUS CIUACAMAIA (Cuvier). 



((Jl'ACAMAIA; GREEN 1'ARKOT-FISII.) 



Head 3 to 3f in length to base of caudal ; depth 2f to 3| ; eye small, 6 

 in head; snout not very obtuse, 2f in head. D. IX, 10; A. II, 9; scales 

 2^-24-6. Body moderately elongate; no canine teeth; upper lip covering 

 more than .} of surface of upper jaw. Cheek with 2 rows of scales of 5 or 

 6 in each row, those of the upper row nearly twice as broad as those of 

 the lower; a single scale below the lower row; 6 or 7 scales on median line 

 before dorsal. Pectorals reaching just past tips of ventrals; origin of 

 ventral spine below the middle of pectoral base; caudal rounded when 

 spread open, its angles slightly produced, its outer rays (in specimens 8 

 inches long) -\ in head. In adults the outer rays are longer in proportion, 

 and in very old examples, none of which has been seen by us, they are 

 said to be greatly produced. Color in life, of specimens of moderate size, 

 olive green, each scale edged with clear brown, its middle, especially 

 above, bright verdigris green; sides of head brownish gray; belly white, 

 tinged with brown; a bright green stripe from eye around snout, another 

 from eye to eye above, another undulating stripe below eye; several green 

 spots and dashes behind eye; upper lip reddish; jaws deep bluish green, 

 the color not fading in spirits ; teeth deep greenish blue ; vertical fins all 

 brownish red, verging on orange above, their edges, including sides and 

 tips of caudal, all bright greenish blue; ventral flesh color, tinged with 

 orange, its anterior edge greenish blue; pectoral very pale reddish, the 

 first and last rays light blue ; a greenish dot at the base of each membrane 

 of dorsal and anal ; axil reddish. Older individuals similar in color, but 

 with the head more pinkish and its markings more diffuse. In spirits, the 

 green stripes and spots on head become fainter and the red of upper lip 

 and axil and the orange of fins fade. Length of the example here described 

 from Key West, 7| inches. The species reaches a length of 2 or 3 feet. 

 West Indies, north to the Florida Keys, south to Rio de Janeiro; every- 

 where common. This species is abundant about rocks at Key West, and 

 is also not uncommon in the Havana market, where it is known still as 

 Guacamaia. Our fish is certainly the Guacamaia of Parra, on which, as the 

 printed record shows, the Scarus (juacamaia of Cuvier was based. The 

 specimen in Cuvier's possession, afterwards described by Valenciennes 

 under the name Scarus guacamaia, has canines in the upper jaw, and must 

 belong to a distinct and (to us) unknown species, to which Poey has given 

 the name Scarus pleianus. We have seen no specimens a yard in length, 

 as mentioned by Parra, nor have we seen any with the caudal lobes pro- 

 longed to the extent shown in his figures. None of our specimens, young 

 or old, show traces of canines. We have examined the type of Scarus 

 turchesius * in Paris. It seems to be the same as Pseudoscarus guacamaia. 



* The type of Scarus turchesius is thus described by Guichenot : " Form of Pseudoscarus 

 coelestinus: Jaws finely crenulate on the edce, otherwise smooth; no posterior canines; 

 2 rows of scales on cheeks ; caudal rounded, 'its angles little produced. Color dark green, 

 paler on sides, rosy below; green areas on membranes of dorsal, of which the edge is 



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