Classification of Fishes 



377 



trunkfishes were regarded as a family {Osiraciidcc), the three- 

 angled ones were set off as a separate genus. For this two 

 names were offered, both by Swainson in 1839. For trigonus, 

 a species without horns before the eyes, he gave the name Lac- 



^*^'«ai>.. s-V'f:-,-.,::v.A..,«-'..j.^^^'.ic - * -' 



Fig. 241. — Spotted Trunkfish, Lactophrys hicaudalis (Linnsus). 

 Cozumel Lsland, Yucatan. 



toplirys, and for triqiietcr, a species without spines anywhere, 



the name of RJiiiiesomus. Most recent American authors have 



placed the three-cornered species which are 



mostly American in one genus, which must 



therefore be called Lactophrys. Of this name 



Rhinesoinus is a synonym, and our species 



should stand as Lactophrys tricornis. The fact 



that Lactophrys as a word (from Latin Icctus, 



smooth; Greek o<ppv5, eyebrow; or else from 



lactoria, a milk cow, and o<ppvs) is either 



meaningless or incorrectly written makes no 



difference with the necessity for its use. 



In 1862, Bleeker undertook to divide these 

 fishes differently. Placing all the hornless 

 species, whether three-angled or four-angled, 

 in Ostracion, he proposed the name Acanthostracion for the 

 species with horns, tricornis being the type. But Acan- 

 thostracion has not been usually adopted except as the name of a 

 section under Lactophrys. The three-angled American species 

 are usually set apart from the four-angled species of Asia, and 

 our cuckold is called Lactophrys tricornis. But it may be with 

 perfect correctness called Ostracion tricornc, in the spirit called 

 conservative. Or with the "radical" systematists we may 



Fig. 242.— Spotted 

 Trunkfish (face 

 view), Lactophry.s 

 hicaudalis (Lin- 

 naeus). 



