130 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
incised, fclie anterior portion of each somewhat produced beyond its spine; soft dorsal high, the middle 
rays longest, If in head, the anterior portion of the fin gently convex, the posterior slightly concave; 
pectoral short, broad, and rounded, barely reaching origin of anal, the length 1-J in head; ventral 
pointed, the second and third rays longest, It in pectoral, the fin somewhat falcate; anal fin strongly 
falcate, the fourth and fifth rays longest, longer than pectoral, 1£ in head, 2} times length of last anal 
ray ; second anal spine short, 5t in head; caudal shallowly lunate, the lobes It in head. Scales small, 
smooth, and thin, closely hut irregularly imbricated; nape, opercles, and cheeks scaled, snout and 
lower j aw naked ; bases of all the fins except the ventrals densely scaled; lateral line beginning at 
upper angle of opercle, gently arched above pectoral fin, following approximately the curvature of 
the hack and on median line of caudal peduncle. 
General color of body in life brown, with large, irregular blotches of dirty white on hack and 
upper part of sides, these blotches with small rusty spots; lower part of sides, belly, and caudal 
peduncle with irregular whitish spots; belly brassy brown ; snout and nape with numerous small, 
round dark spots; cheek with large blotches of whitish overlaid with black and brassy spots; lips 
whitish, with dark spots; spinous dorsal blotched with white, olivaceous and black; soft dorsal 
brown, with numerous white spots and a few black ones, the posterior rays tipped with white and 
•orange; anal olivaceous, with irregular white spots, greenish at edge, the produced rays black 
toward distal ends; pectoral dark olivaceous, with greenish white splotches, the edge yellowish; 
ventral rays greenish white, the membranes black ; inside of mouth white; eye brown. Related to 
D. inermis (Cuvier & Valenciennes), but differing notably from that species in the shorter, stouter 
gillrakers, the emarginate caudal, the shorter anal spines, and the strongly falcate anal fin. 
Only the type of this species is known. It was obtained by James E. Roberts, a Key West fisher- 
man, October 23, 1896, while fishing in 5 fathoms of water, with hook baited with sardine. Mr. 
Roberts reports that the fish at first pulled very hard, showing good game qualities, hut very soon 
ceased its struggles and came up a dead weight. This fish was wholly unknown to Mr. Roberts and 
many other Key West fishermen who saw it. One man claimed to have seen it or a similar fish in the 
Canaries, which was there known as " cabosa.” 
Etymology, ^aynXov, a scythe or sickle, from the falcate anal fin. 
9. Anisotremus surinamensis (Bloch). Pompon. (PI. 8, fig. 10.) 
Anisotremus surinamensis Evermann & Bean, Rept. U. S. F. C. 1896, 244. 
Not until recently was this species known from the waters of the United States. Its known 
range extended from Cuba south to Brazil, Surinam being the type locality. On January 23, 1896, a 
single large example (15 inches long) was obtained at Fort Pierce, Fla., by Messrs. Evermann & 
Bean. It had been caught in the Indian River near Fort Pierce and was kindly presented to the 
Commission by Capt. Joseph Smith of that place. No other specimens from our waters were known 
until in November, 1896, when Dr. Jordan saw a fine example in the French Market at New Orleans. 
It had been received along with other fish from Eden, Fla., and was doubtless taken in Indian River. 
This species is apparently quite rare on the East Florida coast, as the Indian River fishermen 
to whom we showed our specimen did not recognize it as known to them. 
The following is a description of the specimen obtained at Fort Pierce : 
Head 3|; depth 21; eye 4.( ; snout 2f ; maxillary 3. D. xn, 16; A. hi, 8 or 9; scales 5-50-13. 
Body deep, hack elevated, greatly compressed, profile steep, nearly straight from snout to above 
eye, a slight depression in front of nostril and another in interorbital space ; profile from interorbital 
space to dorsal strongly arched in a broad curve. Head moderate; cheek deep; mouth rather small; 
jaws subequal, maxillary barely reaching front of orbit; ventral line of body nearly straight; caudal 
peduncle moderately long, its least depth equal to snout; teeth in several bands, the outer enlarged 
and canine-like. Fourth dorsal spine strongest and longest, its length 2 A- in head; soft dorsal as well 
as anal, pectorals, ventrals, and caudal densely covered with minute scales ; height of longest soft 
dorsal ray 3 in head; second anal spine very stout, its length equal to that of fourth dorsal spine; 
third anal spine broad at base, but shorter than second; free edge of soft anal straight; dorsal and 
anal fins depressible in a scaly sheath ; pectoral long and falcate, nearly reaching tip of ventrals, 1A 
inhead; ventral shorter, It in pectoral; caudal well forked, the lobes about equal to ventral. Pre- 
opercle strongly but irregularly serrate. 
Seales of cheek in about 7 rows ; those on operele in about 8 rows ; those on interorbital and nape 
small and crowded; scales of back and sides arranged in oblique rows not parallel with the lateral 
line ; lateral line arched, following approximately the contour of the back. Gillrakers rather short, 
stiff, 13+19. 
