446 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
Habitat: West Indies. 
Etymology: From the French name vivanet, used at Martinique, 
probably allied to vivax, “lively.” 
This handsome species is rather common in the markets of Havana, 
where it is known asthe pargo de lo alto. When fresh’ it may always 
be known by the bright yellow color of the eye, a color which does not. 
entirely fade in spirits. It is evidently the Mesoprion aya of Cuvier & 
Valenciennes, but it is apparently not the original Bodianus aya of 
Bloch, as the latter species is said by Marcgrave and Bloch to have the 
iris red. 
Poey: recognizes, under the name of Lutjanus purpureus, a second 
species, which differs from L. profundus only in having small scales 
very close to the eye. This seems to be a character of little importance 
on which to recognize a distinct species. 
The name purpureus is credited to Cuvier, but, in the single place 
(vol. 11, p. 457) where the name occurs, purpureus is evidently a mere 
slip of the pen for aya. Probably it was originally a manuscript name, 
for which the latter name, from Bloch, was taken. 
Lutjanus torridus, loosely described and poorly figured by Prof. 
Cope, seems to be this species rather than the red snapper, as it has 
been formerly identified by us. We have examined Cope’s type in 
the Museum of the Academy at Philadelphia. It is 11 inches long and 
in poor condition, but it probably belongs to LZ. vivanus rather than to 
DT. aya. 
In the review of this genus by Jordan and Swain, the close relations 
of L vivanus with L. aya were not apprehended. The two species are 
in fact very similar in structural characters, L. vivanus being dis- 
tinguished chiefly by the slenderer body, smaller scales, longer anal 
splines, more numerous gill-rakers, and larger eye, the iris of which is 
always bright yellow. The types of Mesoprion vivanus must be referred 
to the present species rather than to J. aya, unless, a very improbable 
supposition, they represent still another species not yet recognized. 
We are therefore obliged to adopt for the “pargo de lo alto” the name 
of L. vivanus, rather than the appropriate one of L. profundus given to 
it by Prof. ey: 
