THE FISHES OF PORTO RICO. 
217 
vertical fins scaly; caudal truncate; dorsal spines very slender, separated from rays; second anal spine 
very slender, 3 in head, much longer than first, which is much reduced. 
Color in spirits: Silvery-bronze, with many dark points, under parts pale; darker longitudinal 
streaks along rows of scales; chin dusky, axil and base of pectoral black; vertical fins dusky, with dark 
points, paired fins pale. 
Here described from the young, of which 15 examples were taken, from 3 to 4.75 inches in length, 
at Mayaguez, Puerto Peal and Boqueron. Length about a foot. A food-fish of some importance. 
Known from the West Indies, and generally common; recorded by Jordan & Rutter from Jamaica. 
Corvina dentex Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., V, 139, 1830, Santo Domingo. 
Odontosdon dentex , Jordan & Evermann, 1. c., 1425, 1898. 
Genus 97. CORVULA Jordan & Eigenmann. 
This genus is closely allied to Bairdiella in nearly all respects, but with preopercle entire and 
unarmed, as in Larimus. The species differ considerably among themselves, and they form with 
Larimus and Odontosdon an almost continuous series. American. 
a. Body rather short and deep, depth 2.5 to 3.33 in length;. distance from insertion of ventrals to first anal spiine about 
equal to depth of body; color silvery, usually with dusky streaks along rows of scales. 
5. Dorsal rays x-i, 28; posterior rays of soft dorsal higher than anterior ones; dorsal outline strongly and regularly 
convex and elevated. Color, silvery-white, darker above; sides and back with rather distinct dark lines along 
scales; spinous dorsal, tips of ventrals, and anal dusky; upper part of head brownish; lower part of head, cheek, 
and breast with numerous rusty dots, base of soft dorsal and anal rusty sialis 
65. Dorsal rays x to xii-i, 23 to 25; jaws equal; outer teeth above enlarged, lower teeth nearly uniserial; preopercle 
with flexible seme; second anal spine, 3.66 in head; caudal fin subtruncate. 
c. Maxillary reaching middle of pupil, 2.33 in head; pectoral rather long subxqualis 
cc. Maxillary reaching beyond middle of pupil, 2.33 in head; pectoral very short; D. xi-l, 23; A. ii, 8 or 9; color silvery, 
with very distinct dark longitudinal stripes sanctx-ludse, 172 
ad. Body rather elongate and compressed, depth 3.5 in length; distance from insertion of ventrals to first anal spine 
one-half greater than depth of body; coloration dusky, with conspicuous dark streaks along rows of scales. 
batabana, 173 
172. Corvula sanctse-lucise Jordan. 
Head 3.1; depth 3.2; eye 4.5; snout 4.3; maxillary 2.4; mandible 2; interorbital 4.4; preorbital 
2.4 in eye; D. xi-i, 23; A. u, 9; pectoral 1.9; ventral 1.8; caudal 1.8; scales 6-47-8. Body oblong, 
back compressed posteriorly and a little elevated; head rather small and blunt; snout as long or a little 
longer than eye; eye large, about equal to interorbital space; mouth somewhat oblique, jaws equal, 
maxillary reaching middle of pupil; a band of fine teeth in upper jaw, outer a little enlarged; teeth in 
lower jaw in one row with a few scattering ones; preopercle with a finely crenulate membranous edge; 
gillrakers 8 19, counting rudiments, longest one-half eye; scales large and strongly ctenoid, rows above 
lateral line anteriorly parallel with it; below last dorsal spines these rows turn upward and become 
horizontal again under anterior part of soft dorsal; dorsal spines slender, finely pointed but not sharp; 
soft dorsal and anal scaly at base; caudal truncate, scaled to near edge; second anal spine slender, 
shorter than first rays. 
Color in spirits: Pale, darker above, with a bluish luster; each row of scales save the few 
lowermost with a grayish-brown stripe, these most continuous above, where they follow the upturned 
rows of scales; many dark punctulations everywhere; axil dark; fins not notably colored, but with 
many punctulations. 
A species known at once by the horizontal stripes and their characteristic bend upward under the 
notch separating the dorsals. Hitherto known only from the type from Port Castries, St. Lucia. 
This description is from our largest specimen, 7.75 inches long, from Isabel Segunda; about 20 other 
individuals from Isabel Segunda, Ponce, Mayaguez, Hucares, and Boqueron, ranging in length from 
2.5 to 6.5 inches; smaller specimens have the eye 3.5 in head. 
Corvula sanctx-lucix Jordan, Proc. U. S. N. M. 1889, 649, Port Castries, St. Lucia; Jordan & Evermann, 1. c., 1429, 1898. 
173. Corvula batabana (Poey). “ Barriga Blanca.” 
Head 3.3; depth 3.2; eye 4; snout 4.2; maxillary 2.25; mandible 2; interorbital 3.9; preorbital 
7.8; D. xi— i, 28; A. ii, 8; pectoral and ventral 1.7; caudal 1.6; scales 7—45-7. Body oblong, back coin- 
pressed posteriorly, belly long, distance from ventrals to anal greater than depth of body; head mod- 
