1903.] fishes from rio janeiro. 61 



Serranid^. 

 Many authors have regarded Serranus Jiaviventris Cuv. & Yal. 

 as the female of S. aioriga Guv. & Yal. Messrs. Jordan and 

 Evermann give descriptions of three species, viz. : S. dispihirus 

 Glinther, jS. suhligarius Cope, and S. aurigaCuY. & Val., adding 

 >S'. Jiaviventrls to the synonjnny of the last ; but in a footnote 

 they state that very probably these three species are identical. _ I 

 have arrived at the conclusion that S. dispilurus and ;S'. suhligarms 

 belong to the synonymy of S. Jiaviventrls, which is very different 

 from S. auriga, as may be seen fwrn the short diagnoses given 

 below. 



SeRRANUS AURIGA Cuv. & Yal. 



Depth of body about equal to length of head, 2f-2| times in 

 total length. Snout as long as eye, the diameter of which is 3^- 

 3| times in the length of head and twice the interorbital width. 

 Maxillary not extending to below middle of eye, the width of its 

 distal extremity \ the diameter of eye. Prseoperculum with vertical 

 posterior and horizontal inferior limb, the angle rounded ; lower 

 opercular spine stronger and further back than upper. D. X 12- 

 13 commencing slightly in advance of axil of pectoral, third spine 

 very elongate. A. Ill 7, second spine not, or but little, longer 

 than third, its length about 24 times in that of head. Sc. 48-52 

 JrL^ xiot extending on to upper surface of head -,.51 rows between 

 soft dorsal and lateral line. Two dark blotches on lower half of 

 body, the anterior including ventrals, the posterior extending on 

 to anal, a light area between them. 



Diagnosis based on four examples from Rio Janeiro, the largest 

 150 mm. in total length, 



Serranus flavivextris Guv. & Yal. 



Dules Jiaviventris Guvier & Yalenciennes, iii. p. 113 (1829). 



Centropristis hrasiUensis Brisout de Barneville, Rev. Zool. 

 1847, p. 131. 



Centropristis dispilao^us Giinther, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1867, p. 99. 



Centropristis suhligarius Gope, Proc. Ac. Philad. 1870, p. 120. 



Bules auriga Steindachner, Sitzb. Ak. Wien, xcvi. I. 1888, 

 p. 57, pi. i. fig. 2. 

 ■ Serranus auriga (part.) Boulenger, Cat. i. p. 287 (1895). 



Depth of body about equal to length of head, 24-3 times in 

 total length. Snout as long as or a little longer than eye, the 

 diameter of which is 4-4| times in the length of head and I5-II 

 times the interorbital width. Maxillary extending to well beyond 

 middle of eye, the width of its distal extremity ^ the diameter of 

 eye. Prseoperculum evenly rounded in the whole extent of its 

 posterior margin ; lower opercular spine not stronger and not further 

 back than upper. D. X 12-13, commencing somewhat behind 

 axil of pectoral, third spine not elongate^ fourth or fifth highest. 

 A. Ill 7, second spine stronger and longer than third, its length 



