THE FISHES OF PORTO RICO. 
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Genus 68. EPINEPHELUS Bloch. The Groupers. 
Body stout, compressed, covered with small ctenoid scales, which are often somewhat embedded 
in the skin; scales of lateral line triangular, cycloid; soft parts of vertical fins generally more or less 
scaly. Cranium narrow above. Parietal crests not produced on frontals, which are without transverse 
ridge posteriorly; frontals with a process or knob on each side behind interorbital area; premaxillary 
processes fitting into a notch or cavity on anterior end of frontals. Preopercle moderately serrate 
behind, its lower limb entire, without distinct an trorse spine; opercle with two strong spines. Nostrils 
well separated. Mouth large; maxillary large with a well-developed supplemental bone, its surface 
usually with small scales. Canine teeth few, large in front of jaws; enlarged teeth of inner series 
of each jaw depressible. Gillrakers short and rather few. Dorsal spines usually 11, rarely 10, not 
filamentous, last ones somewhat shorter than middle ones. Anal spines 3, second usually the largest; 
number of soft rays 7 to 9. Caudal fin rounded or lunate. Pyloric caeca few (usually 10-20) . Pectoral 
rounded, shortish, nearly symmetrical, of 15 to 20 rays. Ventrals moderate, inserted below pectorals, 
close together, each with a strong spine. 
Species very numerous, most of them of large size, abounding in all tropical seas, where they are 
valuable food-fishes. This is the largest and most important genus of the Serranidse, and its species 
are most widely distributed. 
I. Schistorus: 
Nostrils unequal, posterior much the larger, three times diameter of the anterior; preopercle with two or three small 
irregular teeth below its angle; pyloric cseca in increased number; head large. 
a. Second and third anal spines about equal in length; color brownish, with about 8 darker crossbands; dark bands 
radiating from eye; a dark mustache above maxillary; a dark blotch on back of caudal peduncle., mystacinus 
II. Epinephelus: 
Nostrils subequal, posterior scarcely larger than anterior; pyloric caeca in moderate number. 
b. Second dorsal spine short, lower than third or fourth, tin not much notched; caudal rounded more or less; lower 
opercular spine inserted farther back than upper. Lateral teeth of lower jaw in more than two rows, at least 
in adult. Interorbital space of moderate width, its breadth more than half diameter of eye and 7 to 10 times 
in length of head. Dorsal spines 11; preopercle without distinct spinules on its lower limb. 
c. Maxillary naked. 
d. Lower jaw strongly projecting. 
c. Body and head covered with red or orange spots (dusky in spirits and always darker than the ground-color); 
vertical fins without dark edge, their bases spotted like the body; body with large pale spots besides the 
orange spots; the young with large black blotches at base of dorsal; angle of preopercle not salient; form 
robust. adscensionis, 107 
ee. Body and head reddish-brown, adult nearly plain, young with darker spots; vertical fins broadly edged with dark 
brown. Body robust, depth 3 in length. D. xi, 15 or 16. Caudal fin convex behind; maxillary naked; dorsal 
spines low, subequal; interorbital moderate, 6.5 in head; preopercle with strong teeth at its angle, lower limb 
entire guaza 
cc. Maxillary more or less scaly. 
/. Preopercle with a more or less distinct salient angle, which is armed with teeth (these teeth occasionally undevel- 
oped in E. striatus, which species may be known by presence of black points around eyes). 
g. Body without orange or dark-brown spots; spots (if any) brownish or pearly, diffuse or irregular; vertical fins 
without broad black margin. 
h. Caudal peduncle without black, saddle-like blotch above. Caudal fin truncate or emarginate when spread open, 
not convex behind; maxillary usually more or less scaly; vertical fins without broad edging of black; dorsal 
fin, or a part of it, distinctly edged with bright yellow; color of body uniform reddish-brown, a clear blue 
streak from eye to angle of preorbital; a faint dark mustache; no black spots anywhere; whole dorsal with a 
bright-yellow edging; anal and caudal without pale edging; caudal slightly lunate; maxillary scaly; dorsal 
rays xi, 14; lower jaw strongly projecting (as in Epinephelus nivealns , with which this species seems to agree 
very closely in all respects except color) JlavoUmbatus 
hh. Caudal peduncle with a large quadrate saddle-like black blotch above (sometimes wanting in E. niveatus, especially 
in the young). 
i. Eye not surrounded by dark points; sides brown, marked with large blotches of steel-blue, these more or less 
regularly arranged and not distinct on breast; no dark crossbars; lower jaw strongly projecting; caudal fin 
subtruncate, its angles rather acute; pyloric cseca rather numerous nivealns 
ii. Eye surrounded by conspicuous dark-brown points; body with irregular dark crossbars; angle of preopercle little 
salient; third dorsal spine highest, 2.5 in head; scales moderate, about 100; caudal rounded; lower jaw little 
projecting; vertical fins in life broadly edged with yellow striatus, 108 
gg. Body covered with small dark-orange or brown spots; lower jaw not prominent; interorbital space very narrow 
not half diameter of eye. Vertical fins broadly edged with blue-black, their bases unspotted; body without 
pale spots, the orange spots rather small; body rather slender; size small gutlatus, 109 
ff. Preopercle without salient angle; body, head, and fins dark reddish-brown, profusely covered with small pearly- 
white stellate spots, body robust; lower jaw projecting; caudal subtruncate, with sharp angles, drunvmond-hayi 
V). Second dorsal spine elevated, not lower than third or fourth; caudal fin lunate; preopercular angle little salient, 
without enlarged teeth; interorbital width 7 in head morio, 110 
