SPAROID FISHES OF AMERICA AND EUPOPE. A475 
43. HAAMULON PLUMIERI. 
(Common Grunt; Ronco Ronco; Ronco Ararda.) 
Guabi coara brasiliensibus Marcgrave, Hist. Bras., 1648, 163 (Brazil). 
Perca marina capite striato (the Grunt), Catesby, Hist. Carolina, ete., tab. 6, 1743 
(Bahamas, ete.). 
Labrus plumiert Lacépéde, Hist. Nat. Poiss., 11, 480, 1802, pl. 2, f. 2 (on a copy of 
a drawing by Plumier, identified with this species by Cuvier). 
Diabasis plumieri, Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U.S. N. M. 1882, 603 (Charleston); ibid., 
Syn. Fish. N, A., 1883, 971; Bean, Cat. Fish. Exh, London, 1883, 58 (Key 
West). 
Hamulon plumieri, Jordan, Proc. U.S. N. M. 1884, 126 (Key West); Jordan & Swain, 
1.c., 303; Jordan, 1. c., 1889, 648 (St. Lucia); Jordan, 1. c., 1890, 319 (Bahia). 
Hemulon formosum Conia Rogne Animal, 1829; Cuv. & V ae V, 1830, 230 (Marti- 
nique); Giinther, 1, 305, 1859 faeeiemh Gs Je mee De oe New York 
Fauna, 1842, 86 (?New York); Cope, Trans. Am. Phil. Soc. 1871, 470 (St. 
Croix, New Providence) (not Perca formosa L.). 
Hemylum formosum, Putnam, Bull. M. C. Z., 1863, 12 (name only), 
Diabasis formosus, Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. 8. N. M. 1882, 276 (Pensacola); Jordan 
& Gilbert, Synopsis Fishes N. A., 553. 
Hemulon arcuatum Cuv. & Val., 1x, 481, 1833 (Charleston) ; Holbrook, Ichth. 8. Car., 
1860, 124, pl. xvi (Charleston) ; Goode, Proc. U.S. N. M. 1879, 113 (St. Au- 
gustine; no descr.); Bean & Dresel, Proc. U. S. N. M. 1884, 158 (Jamaica). 
Hemulon araré Poey, Memorias, 11, 1860, 177 (Cuba); Poey, Synopsis, 1868, 318; 
Poey, Enumeratio, 1875, 45. 
Hemylum arard, Putnam, Bull. M. C. Z., 1863, 12 (name only). 
Hemulon subarcuatum Poey, Memorias, 11, 1860, 419 (Cuba); Poey, Synopsis, 1868, 
318; Poey, Enumeratio, 1875, 45. 
Habitat: West Indies; Carolina to Brazil. 
Etymology: For Father Plumier, an early naturalist who sent draw- 
ings of the fishes of Martinique to the museums of Europe. 
This species is the “ grunt” par excellence of our South Atlantic 
coast. It is not rare in West Florida and on the Carolina coast, while 
at Key West it is the most abundant food-fish, the amount taken dur- 
ing the yeat exceeding that of all other shore species combined. At 
Havana it is proportionally less common, though still the most abund- 
aut of its genus. It does not usually exceed a foot in length, although 
individuals 18 inches long are sometimes taken. These large grunts 
have the back and nape more elevated and correspond to Cuvier’s H. 
arcuatum. This species was well represented by Catesby, but Linnzeus 
has referred Catesby’s figures to the synonymy of his Perca formosa, 
which is a Diplectrum. From this mistake it has come that the name 
Jormosum has been transferred from Diplectrum formosum to Hamulon. 
This is inadmissible. The oldest name actually given this species is 
Labrus plumiert Lacépede; this name is based on a rough copy of a 
drawing by Plumier. Cuvier, who had examined this drawing, referred 
it to the present species, so there seems no doubt that the name plumicri 
belongs here. Poey’s H. subarcuatwm seems to be a color variety of his 
H. arard, which is the ordinary plumieri. Specimens are in the Museum 
at Cambridge from Tortugas, Havana, Jérémie, Hayti, St. Thomas, 
Maranhao, Bahia, Rio Janeiro, and Rio Grande do Norte. 
