THE FISHES OF PORTO RICO. 
149 
Genus 66. PETROMETOPON Gill. Enjambres. 
Frontal bones with an anterior groove or excavation for reception of posterior processes of the 
premaxillaries, without processes on upper surface; a curved or angular ridge across posterior portion 
of frontals in front of supraoccipital, connecting parietal crests; supraoccipital and parietal crests not 
produced forward. Dorsal spines 9; anal rays mostly hi, 8; scales ctenoid; otherwise essentially as 
in Epinephelus. 
Species rather few, mostly of small size, distinguished from Bodianus chiefly by the peculiarities 
of the frontal bones, the above account being taken from Boulenger, Cat., i, 175. 
104. Petrometopon cruentatus (Lacepede) . “ Cabrilla” ; Enjambre; Coney; Red Hind. 
Head 2.5; depth 2.8; eye 5.5; snout4; maxillary 2; mandible 1.6; interorbital 6.7; preorbital 11; 
D. ix, 14; A. in, 8; pectoral 1.7; ventral 2.1; caudal 1.7; scales about 12-85 to 95-30. 
Body not greatly elongate, somewhat compressed; caudal peduncle short; head moderate, 
pointed; mouth large, the large maxillary reaching beyond eye, lower jaw moderately projecting; teeth 
much as in Epinephelus, depressible teeth long and slender; outer row on sides of upper jaw enlarged 
but not depressible; canines in front of both jaws, the upper somewhat larger; preopercle convex, 
with very minute serrations; opercle ending in 3 flat, exposed spines, opercular flap thin and rounded 
or obtusely pointed. Scales ctenoid. Dorsal tin continuous, with a slight emargination; spines slender 
and sharp; caudal rounded or almost double-truncate; pectoral reaching considerably beyond tip of 
ventrals, which do not reach vent. 
Color in life, reddish-gray with red spots nearly everywhere. Our single specimen, in spirits, is 
a rather dark brown, the spots appearing brown posteriorly and pale forward, largest and plainest on 
head; on anterior part of body they have faded almost entirely ; the four larger very black spots along 
base of dorsal are still visible; fins spotted and barred; caudal edged with a moderate band of dark, 
outside of which is a very narrow pale edging. 
This fish ranges from Florida and West Indies to Brazil; is common about Jamaica and Cuba, 
and not uncommon on the reefs about Key West, where it is called “coney.” A handsome species of 
considerable importance as a food-fish; length about a foot. One specimen, 8.5 inches, from Isabel 
Segunda, obtained from the local fishermen. 
Sparus cruentatus Lac6p6de, Hist. Nat. Poiss., IV, 157, pi. 4, fig. 1, 1803, Martinique; on a copy of a drawing by Plumier. 
Serranus apiarius Poey, Memorias, II, 143, 1860, Havana. 
Petrometopon cruentatus, Jordan & Evermann, 1. c. , 1141, 1896. 
Genus 67. BODIANUS Bloch. 
This genus is close to Epinephelus, from which it is separated mainly by the presence of 9 spines 
iii dorsal fin instead of 11. In character of cranium the two genera differ little, the skull above having 
its bones thin and smooth, the angular ridge on posterior part of frontals being wanting, and parietal 
and supraoccipital crests not extending on frontals. 
Species rather numerous in warm seas, of small size and bright color. Of seven American species 
and subspecies of Bodianus recognized by Jordan & Evermann two were obtained in Porto Rico. 
Bodianus: 
a. Scales ctenoid; none of dorsal spines elevated. 
b. Caudal fin not lunate; head and body with few or many small, blue, dark -edged spots. 
c. Caudal fin rounded, the middle rays longest; snout with 1 or 2 blue stripes; back of tail without conspicuous black 
blotch; scales small; lateral line about 115 txniops 
cc. Caudal fin truncate, middle and outer rays about equal; snout without stripes; back of tail with 2 black spots; lower 
jaw with a black spot at tip; scales moderate; lateral line about 90. 
d. Ground-color lemon-yellow; blue spots few fulvus 
dd. Ground-color bright scarlet ruber, 105 
ddd. Ground-color brown punctatus, 106 
Menephokus: 
bb. Caudal fin lunate, with prominent angles; body covered with blue spots. 
c. Body rather deep; preopercle evenly convex, without salient angle; mouth small, lower jaw much projecting; 
gillrakers slender, long, about x 4- 20; color carmine, head, back, and sides more or less covered with blue, 
dark-edged points; caudal tips black; some dark spots on maxillary and about eye; no black blotch on caudal 
peduncle or on tip of lower jaw dubius 
ee. Body more slender, depth 4 in total length; eye 5. 5 in head punctiferus 
