THE FISHES OF PORTO RICO, 
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a. Scales below lateral line anteriorly not especially enlarged. 
b. Scales above lateral line anteriorly not much enlarged. 
c. Maxillary 2.33 to 2.75 in head, not reaching center of eye (in adult). 
d. Back and sides without yellow or blue stripes; -each scale above with a median blackish spot, these forming 
undulating lines (spots rarely obsolete in adult, obscure or wanting in young) : maxillary 2.5 to 2.75 in head. 
e. Seales in a vertical row from first dorsal spine to lateral line, 7 or 8 (9 in oblique series) . 
/. Mouth rather small, maxillary scarcely reaching to front of eye; back elevated; preorbital very deep, its least 
breadth greater than length of eye in adult, 4.12 to 4.66 in head in young; second anal spine not reaching to tip 
of last ray; snout long and pointed, 2.25 to 2.75 in head. 
g. Sides without dark bars; head unspotted; dorsal spines graduated; second anal spine, when depressed, reaching 
beyond tip of last spine album, 136 
ff. Mouth rather large, maxillary reaching front of pupil ; back little elevated; preorbital rather narrow, its least width 
5 in head; second anal spine reaching tip of last ray; snout rather long and pointed, 2.33 in head; back and 
sides with 4 or 5 black longitudinal streaks, which disappear only in very old examples macrostomum, 137 
ee. Scales in a vertical row from first dorsal spine to lateral line, 5 or 6. 
h. Series of scales from scapular scale extending backward to front of soft dorsal; snout rather long and pointed; 
mouth small; maxillary 2.75 to 3 in head; pectoral fin long, three-fourths length of head; black spots on sides 
coalescing in continuous stripes bonariense, 138 
hh. Series of scales from scapular scale not extending farther backward than the middle of spinous dorsal; snout 
shorter, not very acute; mouth larger, the maxillary about 2.5 in head; premaxillary processes about 3 in 
head; dark spots on scales not coalescent. 
i. Depth of body about 2.66 in length; pectoral fin short, less than two-thirds length of head; scales above lateral line 
scarcely enlarged. Head 3; depth 2.66; scales 6-50-14; D. xir, 17; A. m, 7 parra, 139 
dd. Back and sides with distinct horizontal yellow stripes, fading but not disappearing in spirits; no black spots any- 
where; maxillary 2.33 in head, reaching front of pupil carbonarium, 140 
cc. Maxillary nearly or quite half length of head, reaching center of eye in adult; no black spots or stripes anywhere 
in adult (except under angle of preopercle) . 
j. Back and sides with continuous yellow stripes, which are horizontal and do not everywhere follow the direction 
of the rows of scales; ground-color bluish-gray; back with a well-defined blackish area from first dorsal spine 
to base of caudal, this color covering most of soft dorsal and middle of caudal lobes; body rather elongate; 
snout moderate; second anal spine 2.75 in head. Head 3 melanurum 
jj. Back and sides of head and body with continuous blue stripes, horizontal and not everywhere following rows of 
scales; ground-color bright-yellow; second anal spine 2.5 in head. Head 2.75 sciurus, 141 
bb. Scales above lateral line anteriorly much larger than other scales plumieri, 142 
aa. Scales below lateral line anteriorly much enlarged; head, back, and sides with continuous bright-yellow stripes, 
those below following direction of scales, and therefore extremely undulating for most part. . flavolineatum, 143 
136. Heemulon album Cuvier & Valenciennes. “Vieja”; Jallao; Margate-fish; Margaret Grunt. 
(Plate 24.) 
Head 2.7; depth 2.5; eye 6; snout 2.3; maxillary 2.5; interorbital 4; preorbital 4.4; scales 
8-51-16; D. xii, 16; A. iii, 8; pectoral 1.6; ventral 1.8. Body comparatively deep, back elevated and 
compressed; anterior profile nearly straight, very slightly concave above eye; snout long and pointed ; 
maxillary reaching front of eye; lower jaw included; teeth not large, those on sides of lower jaw more 
numerous and weaker than in II. sciurus or II. plumieri; interorbital space convex; preopercle finely 
serrate above angle; scales moderate, none of them much enlarged, in oblique series above lateral line, 
nearly horizontal below; soft fins scaly; dorsal spines moderate, fourth highest, 2.4 in head; caudal 
lobes subequal, 1.4 in head; second anal spine stronger and slightly longer than third, 3 in head. 
Color in life, of adults: Pearly-white or rich olivaceous, especially above, where a few scales have 
very faint, dark spots at their bases; still fainter spots visible along scales of lower part of side; 
mouth orange within; lips and a faint blotch on each side of snout light yellow; a dusky shade under 
edge of preopercle (much more distinct in young); fins all light olive; soft dorsal somewhat dusky; 
head without stripes or spots. Young more distinctly spotted, spots small, round, blackish, each with 
a pearly edge; one under each scale of back and sides very distinct when the fish is alive, or after its 
scales are removed, but disappearing almost entirely with death. In life, a broad, dusky lateral band 
is also present, disappearing with death. 
Found from Florida Keys to Brazil; known from Key West, Bahamas, Havana, Jamaica, Porto 
Rico, and St. Thomas; specimens obtained by us at Isabel Segunda. 
The margate-fish is a common and important species at Key West. It reaches a weight of 
8 or 10 pounds, the average being about 4 to 6 pounds. It is found in deep water, most abundantly 
on the reefs. It spawns early in summer, probably in July, on rock bottom, at which time it is 
