224 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
Habitat . — Virginia to Brazil. 
Chesapeake localities. — (a) Previous records: None. ( b ) Specimen in collection: From Ocean 
View, Va., taken in a 1,800-foot seine on October 23, 1922. 
90. Genus ALECTIS Rafinesque. The threadfishes 
Body strongly ovate in young, becoming much more elongate in adult, strongly compressed; 
head short and deep, its anterior profile convex; mouth rather large, maxillary reaching well past 
front of eye; teeth small, in bands on jaws, vomer, palatines, and tongue; scales minute, embedded; 
lateral line with bony scutes on straight part; first dorsal with six or seven short spines, becoming 
obsolete with age; second dorsal and anal similar, the anterior rays of each bearing filaments. 
The changes due to age are very marked in this genus. The body in large examples is much more 
elongate, the anterior profile is less steep, the outlines of the body are scarcely angulate at origin 
of second dorsal and anal, the filaments on these fins are much shorter, the ventral fins are much 
shorter and the pectoral fins are much longer. 
118. Alectis ciliaris (Bloch). Threadfish; Hair fish. 
Zeus ciliaris Bloeh, Naturg. Ausl. Fische, III, 1787, p. 36, PI. CXCI; East Indies. 
Blepharichthys crmitus Lugger, 1877, p. 76. 
Alectis ciliaris Jordan and Evermann, 1896-1900, p. 931. 
Head 2.95; depth, 1.3; D. VI-I, 18; A. II— I, 16. Body ovate (proportionately deeper in 
young than in adult); profile rather steep anteriorly, slightly concave over snout, strongly convex 
over the head, angulated at origin of soft dorsal and anal; head deep; snout projecting but little in 
advance of forehead, 3.35 in head; eye 3.55; interorbital 2.95; mouth slightly oblique, terminal; 
maxillary broad, reaching nearly opposite anterior margin of pupil, 2.5 in head; teeth in villiform 
bands on jaws, vomer, palatines, and tongue; gill rakers scarcely half the length of eye, 13 on 
lower limb of first arch; lateral line with a high arch anteriorly, arched portion a little longer than 
straight part, posteriorly armed with bony scutes; spinous dorsal very low, some of the spines 
almost obsolete; second dorsal and anal similar, the anterior rays of each fin greatly produced, 
forming long filaments; caudal fin broadly forked; ventral fins long (varying greatly with age); 
pectoral fins rather long, falcate in adult (shorter in young), 2.85 in length of body. 
Color bluish above; sides silvery, with traces of darker bars and blotches (disappearing in 
large individuals); upper margin of eye dark; produced portion of the dorsal and anal bluish black; 
ventrals mostly black; the fins otherwise plain or slightly yellowish. 
A single specimen 185 millimeters (7 x /i inches) long was secured and it forms the basis for the 
foregoing description. This species is the only one of the genus. It is readily recognized by the 
extremely long dorsal and anal filaments. Virtually nothing is known of the feeding and spawning 
habits. The single stomach examined contained a few fragments of bones and plant tissue. 
The threadfish is of southern distribution, being reported as common in southern Florida and 
Cuba. On the coast of Panama it apparently is rather uncommon. Only stragglers stray northward 
on our coast. According to fishermen in the southern part of the bay the species is quite rare, only 
an occasional example being taken. It is not known from the more northern sections of the bay. 
Although used for food in the localities where it is common, the species has only limited com- 
mercial value. The largest example seen by us was from Key West, Fla., and measured 22 inches in 
length, which quite probably is the maximum size attained. 
Habitat . — Both coasts of tropical America, straying northward on the Atlantic to Massachusetts. 
Chesapeake localities. — (a) Previous record: Southern part of Chesapeake Bay (Lugger, 1876). 
(6) Specimen in collection: Lynnhaven Roads, Va., October, 1921. Fishermen reported one fish 
off Back River, Va., in June, 1921. 
91. Genus SELENE Lacepede. Moonfishes 
Body ovate, very strongly compressed; head short and deep, its anterior profile steep but never 
vertical, forming a rather abrupt angle with dorsal outline; snout moderately projecting; teeth 
small, present on jaws, vomer, and tongue; palatines with a few teeth or none; lateral line anteriorly 
with a prominent arch, without definite bony scutes posteriorly; spines of first dorsal slender, 
