454 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
24. RHOMBOPLITES AURORUBENS. (Cagon de lo Alto.) 
Centropristis aurorubens Cuy. & Val., Hist. Nat. Poiss., 11, 45 (Brazil, Martinique, 
San Domingo); Storer, Synopsis, 1846, 288 (copied). 
Mesoprion aurorubens, Giinther, 1, 207, 1859 (Jamaica). 
Rhomboplites aurorubens Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1862, 236; Goode & Bean, 
Proc. U.S. N. M. 1879, 1386 (Charleston, Pensacola); Bean, Proc. U.S. N. M. 
1880, 96 (Charleston); Jordan, Proc. U.S. N. M. 1884 (Pensacola); Jordan 
& Swain, 1. c.; Jordan, 1. e., 1890, 319 (Bahia). 
Lutjanus wurorubens, Vaillant & Bocourt, Miss. Sci. au Mexique, 1875; Jordan & 
Gilbert, Syn. Fish. N. A., 1883, 549. 
Mesoprion elegans Poey, Memorias, 11, 153, 1860 (Cuba.) 
Rhomboplites elegans, Poey, Repertorio, 11, 158, 1868; Poey, Synopsis, 1868, 295; Poey, 
Enumeratio, 1875, 31. 
Aprion ariommus Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. N. M. 1883, 142 (Pensacola). 
Habitat: West Indies, north to Charleston, south to Rio Janeiro. 
Etymology: Awreus, golden; rubens, reddish. 
This species is not uncommon in deep waters as far north as Charles- 
ton and Pensacola. It is not unfrequently seen in the markets of Ha- 
vana, where it is known as cagon or cagon de lo alto. Specimens from 
Pensacola and Havana are fully identical. Specimens from the coast 
of Carolina are somewhat deeper than those from Cuba, and with the 
yellow streaks more pronounced, becoming dark brown in spirits. One 
of these, in the U.S. National Museum, has 13 dorsal spines. It is 
not, however, otherwise essentially different. 
We see no reason to doubt that this species is the original Centropris- 
tis aurorubens of Cuv. & Val. We therefore adopt the earlier name 
instead of the name elegans, given to itby Poey. The young specimens 
taken from the stomachs of red snappers at Pensacola, and described 
by Jordan & Gilbert as prion ariommus, seem to be the young of this 
species. The pterygoid teeth are undeveloped, and covered by skin in 
young examples. 
Specimens of Rhomboplites aurorubens are in the museum at Cam- 
bridge from Maranhao and Rio Janeiro. 
V. APSILUS. 
Apsilus Cuv. & Val., Hist. Nat. Poiss., vr, 1830, 548 (fuscus). 
Tropidinius (Gill mss.), Poey, Synopsis Pise. Cub., 1868, 296 (arnillo=dentatus). 
Type: Apsilus fuscus Cuv. & Val. 
Etymology: a privative; ¢cddc, bare or bald; the meaning not evident. 
This very distinct species has essentially the cranial structure of 
Lutjanus, with the sealeless fins, peculiar squamation, and dentition of 
Aprion. We have examined the East Indian species, Apsilus fuscus, 
and find it generically identical with the American species, which must 
therefore be placed in Apsilus, leaving Tropidinius as a synonym. 
