Lane Snapper 



is a common food-fish at Guaymas, Mazatlan, and Panama. It is the 

 Pacific coast representative of the lane snapper, which it somewhat 

 resembles. 



Colour in spirits, brown above, the sides bright silvery; a large 

 round black lateral blotch, as large as eye, on lateral line below front 

 of soft dorsal; each scale above lateral line with a faint darker grayish 

 median spot, these forming oblique streaks; side of head often with 

 similar spots; 2 or 9 similar streaks often present below lateral line, 

 these straight and horizontal; each series of scales below lateral line 

 with a narrow vellowish stripe; snout and preorbital with dark ver- 

 miculations; fins all pale. In life, light olivaceous above, the markings 

 bronze-olive; side pale crimson, the marks more yellow; belly golden 

 yellow; iris scarlet, eve surrounded by yellow; first dorsal reddish, 

 second with reddish brown markings; caudal deep rich red; lower 

 fins golden; pectoral nearly colourless; side of head pink with golden 

 stripes. 



Lane Snapper 



Ljitiaiiiis syiiagns (Linnx-us) 



This beautiful species, also known as the red-tailed snapper, is 

 found from Tampa to Colon and Brazil. It is common almost every- 

 where throughout its range, and in Havana, where it is one of the 

 most popular food-fishes, it is scarcely exceeded in abundance by any 

 other species. Its strongly marked colouration renders it easy of 

 recognition. 



Colour in life, rose, tinged with silverv below, slightly olivaceous 

 but not dark above; a large round mai'oon blotch, larger than eye, 

 just above lateral line and below front of soft dorsal; series of deep 

 golden yellow stripes along side, 9 on head, the upper from snout 

 through eye, and about 10 on bodv, the lower neai'ly straight and 

 horizontal, the upper undulating and irregular, extending upward and 

 backward; belly white, its sides largely vellowish; lips red; maxil- 

 lary partly yellow; tongLie yellowish; iris fiery red; caudal deep blood- 

 red ; spinous dorsal nearly transparent, with a marginal and basal band 

 of golden; pectoral pinkish; young qLute green above. 



The lane snapper reaches a maximum weight of about 4 pounds, 

 though the average of those brought to the Kev West market is not 

 above ^ pound. The largest seen in Porto Rico was 14 inches 



414 



