﻿50 HOLBROOK, FISHES OF FLORIDA, GEORGIA, &c. 



Description. This small Pomotis is so very convex, both at the dorsal and ventral 

 outline, as to have a sub-round form ; it is compressed, though thicker below than 

 above. The head is large, the snout is full, rounded, arid is as broad as the occiput, 

 or the space between the eyes. The eye is of a moderate size, and is placed at less 

 than one diameter of its orbit from the snout, and at one diameter and a half from 

 the bony opercle, with its lower margin near the middle plane of the head. The 

 posterior nostril is very near the orbit, and is above the median plane of the eye ; the 

 anterior is very small. 



The pre-opercle is rounded and slightly serrated at its angle. The opercle is large, 

 broad in front, and with a truncated angle behind, furnished with a broad, fleshy 

 appendix. The sub-opercle is large, and broadest in fronf ; the inter-opercle is 

 also broad, and rounded below. The cheeks and opercular bones are covered with 

 large scales, but the top of the head is smoooth. The mouth is very small, the pos- 

 terior extremity of the upper jaw extending only to the orbit. The lower jaw and 

 the intermaxillary bones are armed with several series of delicate, pointed, recurved, 

 card-like teeth ; those of the outer row are the largest ; there is a small, arrow-headed 

 patch of minute teeth in the vomer. The pharyngeal bones are furnished with 

 small, pointed straight, closely set teeth, and with a few of a larger size near their 

 internal margin. 



The dorsal fin is long and elevated ; it begins at the opercle and extends nearly to 

 the root of the caudal, and has nine delicate spines and twelve branched rays. The 

 pectoral arises under the apex of the opercle, terminates at the vent, and has twelve 

 rays. The ventral begins on a line with the anterior fourth of the pectoral, extends 

 to the first anal spine, and has one spine, and five soft rays ; the anterior slightly 

 prolonged. The anal fin extends from the third dorsal soft ray, to the root of the 

 caudal ; it has three stout spines, the first short, the third longest, and ten branched 

 rays. The caudal is large, slightly lunate behind, and has seventeen rays. 



The scales are large, most extensive vertically, nearly straight before, rounded and 

 ciliated behind. The lateral line runs near the upper fourth of the body and parallel 

 to the arch of the back, as far as the end of the dorsal fin, and then descends to the 

 median plane. 



Color. See Specific Characters. 



Dimensions. The extent from the opercle, to the tip of the tail, is equal to three 

 heads and one quarter ; the greatest elevation without the dorsal fin, to one head 

 and three quarters ; total length five inches. 



Geographical Distribution. St. John's river, Florida. The original specimen is 

 in the collection of Prof. Agassiz, at Cambridge, Massachusetts. 



