312 
BULLETIN OF THE BUEEAU OF FISHEKIES 
The maximum length attained by the lumpfish appears to be 20 inches, but few exceed 14 to 
16 inches. (Bigelow and Welsh, 1925, p. 336.) This fish is not eaten in the United States and 
is of no commercial value. 
Habitat . — Both sides of the North Atlantic; on the American side from Western Greenland 
south to Chesapeake Bay; rare south of New Jersey. 
Chesapeake localities. — (a) Previous records: Buckroe Beach and Wolf Trap Light, near Old 
Point Comfort, Va. (6) Specimens in collection: None. The species evidently is very rare in 
Chesapeake Bay. 
Family LXXVI. — TRIGLID/E. The sea robins or gurnards 
Body elongate, fusiform, deepest at nape; head large, completely inclosed in bony plates 
bearing spines, granules, and striations; mouth large, terminal; teeth small, in bands on jaws, 
vomer, and palatines; maxillary slipping under preorbital; premaxillaries protractile; no supple- 
mental maxillary; gill arches 4; gill membranes not attached to isthmus; lateral line present; 
scales or bony plates on body; air bladder and pyloric cseca usually present; dorsal fins 2, the 
spines short; caudal fin rather long; anal fin without spines, similar to second dorsal; ventral 
fins thoracic, wide apart, I, 5 rays; pectorals long, winglike, the three lowermost rays detached, 
free from each other, developed as feelers. 
134. Genus PRIONOTUS Lacepede. Sea robins 
The characters of the genus are included in the family description. The species are mostly 
rather small, and as they are not eaten in this country they have no Commercial value here. 
KEY TO THE SPECIES 
a. Mouth large, the maxillary reaching nearly opposite anterior margin of eye; no cross groove on 
top of head; gill rakers rather numerous, 15 to 20 on lower limb of first arch; lateral line 
in a black streak evolans, p. 312 
aa. Mouth smaller, the maxillary not nearly reaching eye; a shallow cross groove present on top 
of head; gill rakers less numerous, 10 to 13 developed on lower limb of first arch; lateral 
line not in a black streak. 
b. Body moderately robust, the depth 4.15 to 5.15 in the length; mouth rather large, the max- 
illary 1.2 to 1.3 in snout; cross groove on top of head arched backward carolinus, p. 314 
bb. Body less robust, the depth 5.55 to 5.65 in the length; mouth somewhat smaller, the maxil- 
lary 1.4 to 1.55 in snout; cross groove on head straight, not noticeably arched back- 
ward affinis sp. nov., p. 315 
171. Prionotus evolans (Linnseus). Sea robin; Flying fish. 
Trigla evolans Linnasus, Syst. Nat., ed. XII, 1766, p. 498; Carolina. 
Prionotus slrigatus Cuvier and Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., IV, 1829, p. 86; Bean, 1891, p. 86; Jordan and Evermann, 
1896-1900, p. 2167. 
Prionotus lineatus Uhler and Lugger, 1876, ed. I, p. 102; ed. II, p. 85. 
Prionotus evolans Jordan and Evermann, 1896-1900, p. 2168, PI. CCCXX, fig. 772. 
Head 2.2 to 2.6; depth 3.65 to 5.1; D. X-ll or 12; A. 1-9 or 10; scales 73 to 86. Body mod- 
erately robust, about as broad as deep at nape, compressed posteriorly; head large, depressed, 
broader than deep; snout broad, its length 2.05 to 2.4 in head; eye 4.15 to 5.8; interorbital 
concave, 5.1 to 6.45; mouth large, horizontal; lower jaw included; maxillary reaching nearly 
opposite anterior margin of eye, 2 to 2.35 in head; teeth in the jaws in broad villiform bands; 
gill rakers longer and more numerous in young than in adult, the stumps, however, usually remain- 
ing, 15 to 20 somewhat developed on lower limb of first arch; scales rather small, ctenoid; spines 
on head and about snout not very large; no spine at center of radiations on check; no cross groove 
on top of head; dorsal fins separate, the first consisting of rather short, stiff spines, the third 
spine the longest, 2.4 to 2.9 in head; the longest rays of the second dorsal scarcely as long as the 
longest spines; caudal fin with slightly concave margin, sometimes truncate; anal fin similar to 
second dorsal; ventral fins well developed, inserted under and somewhat behind the base of pec- 
torals; pectoral fins large, the free rays tapering, greatest length of fin 1.79 to 2.15 in body. 
