THE FISHES OF PORTO RICO. 
215 
а. Scales not very small, lateral line having 55 to 75 pores, number of transverse series ranging from 55 to 85, not 
much in excess of number of pores; head compressed, not truly conical; upper jaw with distinct canines, band 
of teeth in upper jaw rather narrow, lower teeth small and in few seriesin front, larger and uniserial on sides. 
б. Soft rays of dorsal and anal more or less closely scaled; gillrakers comparatively long and slender. 9 to 12 on lower 
part of arch, longest at least one-half diameter of eye. 
c. Soft dorsal of 20 to 23 rays. 
d. Caudal fin rhombic, middle rays considerably produced. 
e. Snout short, bluntish, 4.6 in head; mouth small, little oblique, canines quite small; color pale, with faint darker 
streaks; axil pale.pseudobranchise sometimes wanting. D. ix-r, 20; A. I, 8 acoupa 
cc. Soft dorsal of 26 to 29 rays; caudal fin subtruncate or double truncate, middle rays but slightly produced. 
/. Coloration nearly uniform silvery. 
g. Caudal truncate; body slender, depth more than 4 in length; snout short; maxillary not reaching beyond eye. 
D. x-i, 27; A. i, 11 obliquatus 
gg. Caudal weakly double-concave; body deep, depth 3.5 to 4 in length. 
h. Snout long, 3.75 in head, longer than eye jamaicensis, 169 
hh. Snout long, 4.5 in head, shorter than eye. IJ. x-i, 27 to 29, A. n, 9 or 10 nothus 
ff. Coloration brownish-silvery above, with many dark-brown spots, arranged in undulating streaks; body more or 
less compressed; eye moderate, 5 to 7 in head; maxillary extending to below posterior margin of eye, 2.17 in 
head; canines large; color brownish-silvery, with iridescent reflections and marked with many small, rather 
irregular, dark -brown spots, some of which form undulating lines running upward and backward; upper fins 
dusky, lower yellowish. 
i. Snout not very sharp, about 4.25 (4 to 4.33) in head; gillrakers long and slender, usually 5 + 10 to 12 in number; 
membranes of soft dorsal and anal more or less closely scaly, scales readily deciduous regalis 
ii. Snout very sharp, 3.75 to 3.8 in length of head; gillrakers shorter, rather slender, 4 + 8 or 9 in number; membrane 
of soft dorsal and anal with very few scales, these readily deciduous thalassinus 
66. Soft rays of dorsal and anal scaleless; gillrakers comparatively short and thickish, usually not longer than pupil, 
and but 6 to 8 on lower limb of arch. 
j. Coloration not uniform, grayish and silvery, back with distinct darker spots, lines, or reticulations; caudal fin 
truncate or slightly double-concave. 
k. Soft dorsal fin with conspicuous round black spots; back and sides covered with similar spots smaller than 
pupil, larger than those on fins; snout acute, much longer than eye; pectoral 2.25 in head. D. x-i, 25 to 27; 
A. ii, 10 nebulosus 
aa. Scales comparatively small ; number of pores in lateral line 70 to 90, and very much fewer than number of transverse 
rows, which is from 85 to 150; teeth of upper jaw in a rather broad band, 1 to 4 of them usually more or less 
canine-like, canines generally small and sometimes wholly disappearing with age; lateral teeth of lower jaw 
not much enlarged; gillrakers usually small and short. 
l. Caudal fin lunate or subtruncate; scales not very small : head more or less distinctly conical, not flattened above; 
soft dorsal with 21 to 23 rays. 
m. Soft dorsal fin with its lower portion covered with small, caducous scales. Body compressed; head compound- 
conic; canines small, both present; pectoral 2 in head; caudal weakly double-truncate. D. ix-i, 21 to 23; 
A. ii, 10 leiarchus 
U. Caudal fin rhombic or S-shaped, middle rays produced, upper lobe usually pointed; soft dorsal with 23 to 28 rays. 
n. Soft dorsal entirely naked; anal with a few scales; body long and low, spindle-shaped; head depressed above; 
mouth large; canines present, short and thick; eye small, caudal S-shaped, middle rays longest; pectoral 1.8 
in head; scales very small. D. x-i, 28; A. I, 8 virescens 
nn. Soft dorsal and anal fins densely scaly throughout; teeth all small, canines moderate; scales very small; pectoral 
1.75 in head; caudal S-shaped; color greenish, silvery below. D. xi-i, 23; A. n, 9 microlepidotus 
169. Cynoscion jamaicensis (Vaillant & Bocourt). “Corvina” ; Mongolar Drummer. 
Head 3.3; depth 4; eye 4.7; snout 3.8; maxillary 2.1; mandible 1.7; interorbital 3.6; preorbital 
15.5; D. x-i, 25; A. ii, 10; pectoral 1.8; ventral 2; caudal 2.1; scales 11-76-8. Body elongate- 
elliptical, considerably compressed ; head pointed; snout a little longer than eye; mouth large, lower 
jaw projecting; teeth in narrow bands, a few of the outer ones enlarged, especially on sides of lower 
jaw, where they are recurved and incurved; one strong recurved canine in front of upper jaw; lateral 
line decurved under last dorsal spines. Color in life, silvery-grayish, bluish above, whiter below; fins 
all pale except edge of soft dorsal, which is dark. 
Known only from Jamaica and Porto Rico. Two specimens, about 11 inches long, from San Juan 
market, January 6, and two young ones, 5.5 and 4.5 inches, from Isabel Segunda, February 8, 1899. 
The dentition of the upper jaw exhibits an interesting condition. The single large canine tooth of the 
upper jaw is located at one side of the symphysis; on the other side is a tooth of similar appearance 
and nearly as large, but soft and flexible. Apparently there is structurally a pair of canines in the 
front of upper jaw, but only one becomes functional. Both specimens exhibit this peculiarity; in one 
the developed tooth is upon the right side of the symphysis, in the other on the left. 
Otolithus jamaicensis Vaillant & Bocourt, Miss. Sci. au Mexique, Poissons, 156, 1874, Jamaica. 
Cynoscion jamaicensis, Jordan & Evermann, 1. e., 1406, 1898. 
