THE FISHES OF PORTO RICO. 
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spines, which are depressible in a groove of scales, fin continuous, but last spines low, so that a depression 
occurs between the two parts of fin, bases of spinous and soft parts about equal; soft dorsal rather low in 
front, not falcate, pointed behind; anal similar to soft dorsal, with 3 spines; caudal fin moderately 
forked; pectoral fin small, ventrals well behind them. Intestinal canal long. Pyloric cseca very 
numerous. Vertebrae 9 or 10+15 or 16=25. 
This genus contains some 10 species, chiefly confined to the Pacific Ocean, and most of them 
found in the East Indies. 
a. Anal fin moderately elevated in front and rather short, Its rays in, 11, longest ray 1.5 to 2 in base of soft part of fin. 
D. xi, 11 or 12. Teeth 35 to 40 in each jaw. 
b. Teeth rather narrow and subacute; maxillary short, barely reaching eye, about 3.5 in head. 
c. Scales moderate, 10-65-20; A. in, 13. Coloration bright-plumbeous, with many bright-yellow streaks on a plumbeous 
ground. Mouth and teeth not fully described incisor, 167 
cc. Scales rather large, 10-55-16; depth 2.33 in length; head 3.75. Coloration dusky-gray, with about 25 gray streaks 
following rows of scales, those near middle of body broadest; a silvery streak along preorbital. D.xi, 12; 
A. in, 11 sectatrix, 168 
167 . Kyphosus incisor (Cuvier & Valenciennes). Chopa Amarilla. 
Head 5 in total with caudal; depth 3; D. xi, 14; A. in, 13; scales 10-65, pores 20; anal a third higher 
than soft dorsal ; caudal lunate; teeth as in K. sectatrix; preopercle scarcely serrate; scales of back much 
smaller than those of sides, as are also those of head, throat, and belly. Plumbeous, with yellow lines 
marking edges of scales; besides yellow streak across cheek to axil, another below eye ending on 
opercle; yellow streak before nostrils emphasized by black edgings; fins blue, deeper on soft part; base 
of pectoral with yellow scales. 
Cuba (Poey) to Brazil and Canary Islands; a large species, reaching 2.5 to 3 feet in length, larger 
than K. sectatrix. Evidently distinct from K. sectatrix, with which it is confounded by Jordan & Fesler, 
its relations being with K. analogus. Not seen by us; reported by Dr. Stahl from Porto Rico. 
? Saleima aurata Bowdich, Excursion Madeira, 238, 1825, Bona Vista Island; description and figure very bad. D. x, 17; 
A. Ill, 14; body with light-orange stripes. 
Pimelepterus incisor Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., VII, 266, 1831, Brazil. 
Pimelepterus flavolineatus, Stahl, l.c., 77 and 163,1883. 
Kyphosus incisor, Jordan & Evermann, 1386, 1898. 
168 . Kyphosus sectatrix (Linnaeus). Rudder-fish; Bermuda Chub; Chub; Cliopa Blanca. 
Head 3.75; depth 2.12; D. xi, 12; A. in, 11; scales 10-55-16; vertebrae 9 + 16. Body ovate, 
somewhat compressed; longest dorsal spine one-fifth height of body, rather higher than soft dorsal and 
nearly equal to longest ray of anal; teeth 35 to 40 on each side; horizontal process of teeth not much 
longer than vertical; interorbital space 2.5 in head; top and sides of head finely scaled; interorbital 
region gibbous, below which point snout is truncate; preopercle weakly serrulate; gillrakers long; soft 
dorsal and anal very low; longest ray of anal 2.25 in head, longest spine 2.25; median dorsal spines 
highest; second anal spine highest; caudal well forked, lower lobe longer. 
Color in life: Steel-gray, very slightly bluish, not much paler below; edges of each row of scales oi_ 
back and sides slightly brassy, so that very faint yellowish stripes alternate with bluish ones of about 
equal width; a diffuse pale stripe below eye, a yellowish one above and below this; fins all dull-grayish ; 
ventrals and anal somewhat blackish; edge of opercle slightly darker. Here described from Key West 
specimens. 
K. sectatrix ranges from Cape Cod to the West Indies, crossing the ocean to the Canary Islands; 
accidental in the Mediterranean; once taken at Palermo by Prof. Pietro Doderlein. Not rare off our 
Atlantic coast, becoming rather common southward, especially at Key West. Long noted for its 
habit of following vessels, supposably for waste food thrown from them, hence called rudder-fish. It 
is apparently not common about Porto Rico, and was not obtained by us, but is recorded by Professor 
Poey and Dr. Stahl. 
This fish reaches a length of 18 inches or more, though the average of those caught is much less. 
The average weight is 3 or 4 pounds and the maximum about 9 pounds. As a food-fish it is held in 
high esteem, its flesh being firm and of good flavor. At Key West it occurs in certain places in 
abundance and is found throughout the year. The particular bottom which it seeks is the shoals in 
