52 ACANTliOPTEKYGII. 



S. Centropomus ensiferus. 



('entropomus undecimalis (part.), Giiutli, Cat. Fish. i. p. 79 (1859) '. 



Centropomus ens'iferu.i, Poey, Mem. Cuba, ii. p. 1.'22, t. 12. fig. 1 (I860)'; Giinth. Trans. Zool. Soc. 



vi. 1868, p. 408"; Vaill. & Boc. Miss. Sci. Mex., Poiss. p. 33 (1874)"; Steind. Denkschr. 



x\.k. Wieu, xxxix. 1878, p. 21'; Jord. Proc. "U.S. Nat. Mus. ix. 1886, p. 39"; Jord. & 



Everm. Bull. U.S. Nat, Mus. xlvii. 1896, p. 1125 \ 

 Centropomm offinis, Steind. Sitzb. Ak. Wieu, xlis. i. 1864, p. 200, t. 1. fig. 1"; Vaill. & Boc. Miss. 



Sci. xMex., Poiss. p. 31, t. 1. fig. 1 '. 

 ('entropomus scaber, Bocourt, Ann. So. Nat. (5) ix. 1868, p. 90'°. 

 Centropomus ensiferus (part.), Bouleng. Cat. Fish. i. p. 370 (1895) ". 



Depth of body 3j-4 in the length, length of head 2:1-2^. Snout l.^-S as long as eye, the diameter of which 

 is 6-8 in the length of head ; interorbital width about 8 in the Icngtli of head. Maxillary extending to 

 below anterior 4- or nearly to middle of ejo, its greatest width i|-j the diameter of eye. PrDeorbital 

 sharply serrated posteriorly ; prajoperoulum acutely serrated, the serne enlarged at the angle ; pra3- 

 opercular ridge with 1 or 2 spines at the angle. Opercular flap extending to or a little beyond the 

 Tertical from origin of dorsal. 17-19 giJl-rakers, including 3 or 4 rudiments, on the lower part of 

 anterior arch. 52-58 scales in a longitudinal series, Og-Gi betweeu middle of second dorsal and lateral 

 line. Dorsal VIII, I 10 ; spines moderately strong, the third or fourth the longest, i-' the length of 

 head. Anal III ; third spine |-4 as long as the second, which is ^-f the length of the tish. Pectoral 

 |- the length of head. Ventrals extending nearly to the vent, which is situated at f of the distance from 

 base of ventral spine to origin of anal. Caudal peduncle l-;^-l|^ as long as deep. Silvery, back brownish ; 

 lateral line not blackish; spinous dorsal and membrane between second and third anal spioes usually 

 blackish. 



Hab. Atlantic Coasts of Tropical America, entering rivers : 



British Honduras, Belize ^ ^ i*^ ^^ [Salvin). — Cuba"; Jamaica ^ ; Trinidad; 

 British Guiana i » " ; Kio Janeiro ^ ; Cajutuba ^. 



Here described from five specimens from Belize, Trinidad, and Jamaica, 200-280 mm. 

 in total length. 



9. Centropomus armatus. 



Centropomus armatus. Gill, Proc. Ac. Pliilad. 1863, p. 163'; Jord. & Everm. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mas. 



xlvii. 1896, p. 1123'; Gilb. & Starks, Mem. Calif. Ac. Sci. iv. 1904, p. 9.2, t. 13. fig. 26'. 

 Centropomus brevis, Giiuth. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 145 '. 

 Centropomus ensiferus (part.), Bouleng. Cat. Fisli. i. p. 369 (1895) '. 

 Centropomus atridorsalis, Regan, Aun. Mag. N. H. (7) xii. 1903, p. 627°. 



Depth of body 3-4 in the length, length of head 23-2j. Snout 1^-2 as long aa eye, the diameter of which is 

 6-74 in the length of head ; interorbital width 7 in the length of head. Maxillary extending to below 

 middle of eye or beyond, its greatest width v-i tho diameter of eye. Prajorbital strongly serrated 

 posteriorly ; prajnporculum acutely serrated, with 2 or 3 strongly enlarged serric at the angle ; pra:-- 

 opercular ridge with 1 or 2 spines at the angle. Opercular flap extending a little beyond the vertical 

 from origin of dorsal. 13-15 gill-rakors, including 2 or 3 rudiments, on the lower i>art of anterior arch. 

 .50-50 scales in a longitudinal scries, 7-8.' between middle of second dorsal and lateral line. Dorsal 

 VIII, I 10 ; spines strong, the third often slightly longer than the fourth, r-~)j tho length of head. 

 Anal III 6 (exceptionally 7) ; third spine -j-^ as long as the second, which is |^-j the length of the hsh. 

 Pectoral | the length of head. Ventrals extending to the vent, which is situated at about | of the 

 distance from base of ventral spine to origin of anal. Caudal peduncle 1 J-] | as long as deep. Silveiv 



