TWO SPECIES OF RED SNAPPERS 
81 
The exposed portions of the scales on middle of side on anterior part of body 
about 1 ^5 times as high as the exposed parts of the scales situated on middle of 
sides and over the anal fin; the number of oblique rows of scales above the lateral 
line, counting those running upward and backward, 58 to 63, those running down- 
ward and backward, 47 to 48; below the lateral line the rows running downward 
and forward number 47 to 48 and those running downward and backward number 
43 to 44; scales in lateral line, 47 to 48 (all scale counts were made from the enlarged 
scale at the upper angle of the opercular opening to the base of the caudal) ; 7 scales 
between origin of dorsal and lateral fine, counting downward and forward* 14 between 
origin of anal and lateral line, counting upward and backward, and oblique band 
of smaller scales in region of nape, running upward and forward from upper angle of 
gill opening to upper profile; scales of this band larger anteriorly, very small pos- 
teriorly, and followed abruptly by the ordinary large scales; opercle, subopercle, 
and interopercle scaly; a patch of scales directly behind the eye and a horizontal 
row of 4 to 6 more or less embedded, rather strongly ctenoid scales above this patch; 
6 rows of scales on cheeks; snout, preorbital, and upper and lower sides of head 
naked; spinous dorsal bare; base of soft dorsal in a well-developed scaly sheath, 
rows of small scales extending for some distance on soft rays; base of anal in a scaly 
sheath, rows of small scales extending on soft rays; similar rows of scales on caudal 
rays extend to a short distance from their ends; a small patch of scales at base of 
pectoral fin, the rest of the fin being naked; scales on chest extending in midline a 
little beyond base of the ventrals; no scales on ventral fins. 
The dorsal fin consisting of 10 spines and 14 soft rays, the fourth spine longest, 
2.63 to 2.66 in head; the soft part somewhat an-gulated, the angle very little pro- 
duced; distance of origin of dorsal from tip of snout 2.29 to 2.31 in length (1.21 as 
long as the head) ; origin of dorsal about an eye’s diameter behind base of upper ray 
of pectoral; base of spinous part 1.17 to 1.18 in head; base of soft part 1.88 in head; 
anal fin angulated, the angle produced, longest soft ray about 1.82 in head; the 
first spine about one-half as long as the second, the latter 5.02 to 5.07 in head; the 
third spine 4.12 to 4.18 in head; origin of anal fin vertically under the base of first 
and second soft dorsal rays, its base 2.40 to 2.51 in head; pectorals, I, 16, falcate, 
rather long, 1.16 to 1.22 in head, reaching slightly past a vertical through the anal 
opening; distance of base of upper ray from tip of snout, 1.01 to 1.05 in head; ventrals 
1.72 in head, their origin directly under that of dorsal, their tips at a distance from 
the vent equal to the distance of the latter from the anal fin. 
Color in fresh condition ( iced specimen) . — Body, head, and fins scarlet red, the 
red color gradually becoming paler below; iris scarlet-red, with a short longitudinally 
elongate black spot near upper margin of eye; above the lateral line the red color of 
the body is suffused with a bluish green tinge; dorsal and caudal edged with a fine 
black streak; base of pectorals with a black, rather diffuse blotch. No distinct 
black lateral spot. In alcohol the red color, including that of the eyes, fades, but 
the short black band on the eye and the spot at the inner angle of the pectorals 
persist. 
Localities. — Gulf of Mexico (Pensacola), specimen 775 millimeters long; Key 
West (Rebecca Shoals), specimen 790 millimeters long. 
(Mr. Wallace states that this species was not taken in the Caribbean Sea on 
the expedition which he commanded.) 
