THE FISHES OF NEW JERSEY. 275 



Genus Aphredoderus Le Sueur. 



The Pirate Perches. 



Aphredoderus sayanus (Gilliams). 



Plate 36. 



Pirate Perch. Pirate. Mud Perch. 



Head 2% ; depth 3 ; D. IV, 12; A. Ill, 7; scales 44 in lateral 

 line to base of caudal and 3 more on latter; 9 scales between 

 origin of spinous dorsal and lateral line; 11 scales in a vertical 

 series between origin of spinous anal and lateral line; mandible 

 2V30 ii^ head; third dorsal spine 2^/7 ; second dorsal ray 1%; 

 third anal spine 3; second anal ray iVio5 caudal iVt) pectoral 

 I J^ ; ventral 1% ; snout 3^ in head, measured from tip of upper 

 jaw; eye 4^^ ; maxillary 2^; interorbital space 3V7- Body 

 rather deep, upper profile a little more convex than lower. Caudal 

 peduncle compressed. Head large, upper profile a little concave. 

 Snout broad, rather convex. Eye circular, small, anterior. 

 Mouth with mandible well protruding. Teeth small. Maxillary 

 reaching front rim of orbit, and its distal expansion equals 

 diameter of pupil. Interorbital space broad, but slightly convex. 

 Gill-rakers 3 + 10 asperous tubercles. Scales becoming a little 

 smaller on predorsal region, caudal peduncle and breast. Spinous 

 dorsal inserted nearer tip of mandible than base of caudal. Rayed 

 dorsal inserted about midway in that distance and higher an- 

 teriorly. Alnal begins about midway between origin of pectoral 

 and base of caudal, spines graduated to third which is longest, 

 and rayed fin rounded. Caudal rather large. Pectoral about 9/3 

 of space to anal. Ventral inserted close behind origin of pectoral, 

 and reaching J^ of space to anal. Color brownish. Base of cau- 

 dal wnth 2 transverse dusky bars with a pale one between. Length 

 3^ inches. Crosswicks Creek near Trenton. 



Color in life dusky-brown, blacker on head and caudal and 

 other fins, except ventral. Iris brown. A black band from eye 

 dow^n across cheek. A sky-blue reflection just below lower mar- 

 gin of opercle on shoulder-girdle. Opercle and cheek with deep 



