198 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
a. Dorsal spines xn; preorbital broad. 
b. Seales small, 65 in a longitudinal series: body elongate; maxillary extending a little beyond front of eye; anal 
spines strong, second three-fourths depth of body. Color, nearly plain; silvery below productus, 150 
an. Dorsal spines xm; preorbital narrow. 
c. Body moderately elongate, depth 2.66 to 3 in length crocro, 151 
cc. Body very long and low, compressed, back little elevated, depth about 3.6 in length ramosus, 152 
150. Pomadasis productus (Poey). 
Head 4 in total length with caudal; depth 4.33; eye 4; D. xii, 12; A. in, 7; scales 65. Body 
elongate, maxillary extending a little beyond front of eye; anal spines strong, second three-fourths depth 
of body. Color, nearly plain; silvery below. (Poey.) 
Apparently closely allied to P. bat/anus and differing from P. ramosus, if the descriptions can be 
trusted, in having but 12 dorsal spines. Recorded from Cuba and Porto Rico by Poey; not seen by us. 
Pristipoma productum Poey, Memorias, II, 186, 1860, Havana; Poey, Fauna Puerto-Riquefia, 324, 1881. 
Pomadasis productus, Jordan & Evermann, 1. c., 1332, 1898. 
151. Pomadasis crocro (Cuvier & Valenciennes) . “Viejo.” 
Head 3; depth 2.66 to 3.5; eye 3.5 to 5; D. xm, 11 or 12; A. in, 6 or 7; scales 6-54— 16; preorbital 
4 to 8; snout 2.8 to 3.66; maxillary 3 to 4; pectoral 1.16 to 1.5; fourth dorsal spine 1.8 to 2.25; second 
anal spine 1.5 to 2; soft dorsal 2 in spinous. Body elongate, compressed, back elevated, 'high at nape, 
anterior profile rather irregular, varying with age; a more or less distinct frontal depression above eye 
in old examples; mouth small, maxillary barely extending to anterior edge of orbit; lower jaw included; 
preopercle coarsely serrate, teeth wide apart; teeth small, outer scarcely enlarged; scales rather large, 
those above lateral line in parallel series; dorsal fin moderately notched; second anal spine very strong 
and long, reaching past tips of all rays; pectoral short, caudal slightly lunate. 
Color in life: Grayish, with about 12 narrow interrupted stripes formed by pale-silvery quadrate 
spots, one on middle of each scale, plainest on middle of side; under parts white, washed with rusty, 
ope rcle brassy; top of head rusty; spinous dorsal darkish; ventrals and pectoral dusky; iris lemon- 
yellow; mouth scarlet within, pale flesh-color anteriorly. 
West Indies, from Cuba to Brazil; generally common on sandy coasts. A specimen, 7.5 inches 
long, obtained in San Juan market, where others were seen. A good food-fish, though of small size. 
Pristipoma crocro Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., V, 264, 1830, Martinique. 
Pristipoma cultriferum Poey, Memorias, II, 185, 1860, Havana; Poey, Fauna Puerto-Riquefia, 324, 1881; Stahl, 1. c., 77 
and 163, 1883. 
Pomadasis crocro, Jordan & Evermann, 1. e., 1333, 1898. 
152. Pomadasis ramosus (Poey). “ Ponco Blanco.” 
Head 3.15; depth 3.7; eye 4; snout 3.1; maxillary 2.7; mandible 2.25; interorbital 4.4; preorbital 
6.6; D. xm, 12; A. in, 7; pectoral 1.7; ventral 1.7; caudal 1.4; scales 6-57-13. Body long and low, 
back somewhat compressed and a little elevated, anterior profile nearly straight; head pointed, mouth 
not large, maxillary reaching past front of orbit, lower jaw included; teeth in villiform bands, outer 
row in upper jaw slightly enlarged; preopercle and suprascapular scale strongly serrate; dorsal tin 
continuous, well notched, spines very strong; second anal spine very greatly enlarged, as long as longest 
rays; bases of soft dorsal and anal with a sheath of small scales, that of soft dorsal low; caudal lunate; 
lateral line nearly straight save under soft dorsal. 
Color in life: Silvery, bluish on back, slightly brassy on side, white below; pectoral pale-yellow ; 
ventral pale; anal and soft dorsal darker, membrane of spinous dorsal dark-edged; caudal dark with 
black edge. 
Found in the West Indies, south to Brazil. Two specimens, about 10 inches long, one from 
San Juan market, the other from the Rio Loiza nearCaguas, more than 25 miles from the coast and in 
fresh water. Five young examples, each 2 to 3 inches long, were taken in the seine at Aguadilla. 
This species, is said by the native fishermen to utter the grunting noise characteristic of the family. 
Though not large, it is nevertheless a good food-fish and is highly valued. 
Pristipoma ramosum Poey, Memorias, II. 186, 1860, Cojimar River, Havana, Cuba. 
Pomadasis ramosus, Jordan & Evermann, 1. e., 1334, 1898. 
