THE FISHES OF PORTO RIOO. 
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Genus 102. MENTICIRRHUS Gill. The Whitings. 
Body comparatively elongate, little compressed; head long, subconic, bluntish snout considerably 
projecting beyond mouth; mouth small, horizontal, both jaws with bands of villiform teeth, outer 
teeth in upper jaw more or less enlarged; chin with a single stoutish barbel; preopercle with its 
membranaceous edge serrulate; gillrakers short and tubercular or obsolete; dorsal spines high, slender, 
10 or 11 in number (13 in Cirrimens ) ; second dorsal long and low; caudal fin with lower angle rounded, 
upper sharp; anal fin with a single weak spine; no air-bladder. Lower pharyngeals separate, teeth 
varying from sharp to very obtuse. 
This genus is one of the most strongly marked in the family. It has been confounded by all 
European writers with Umbrina, with which it has not very much in common except the presence of 
the barbel at the chin. All the species are American, and all bottom fishes. The low, elongate body, 
large pectoral, and obsolete air-bladder are all characters related to this peculiarity of habit. The 
species are all valued as food-fishes. 
Menticirrhus: 
a. Dorsal spines usually 11; head not terete, depressed, with low snout. 
b. Gillrakers obsolete, reduced to tubercular prominences, covered with teeth similar to those on the other gill- 
arches, more developed in the young; lower pharyngeals narrow; the teeth villiiorm or cardiform, all of them 
acute or conical, none with rounded heads (molar); teeth in the outer series of upper jaw more or less 
enlarged; scales on breast large. 
c. Soft dorsal longer, its rays I, 23 to I, 25. 
d. Outer teeth of upper jaw decidedly enlarged; dorsal spines not much elevated, the longest usually not reaching 
front of soft dorsal, 1.5 to 1.66 in head. Coloration, grayish-silvery, the dark markings not pronounced and 
often obsolete. 
e. Dorsal rays x-i, 22 to 24; snout rather shorter and less pointed than in M. americanus, 3.5 in head; mouth 
smaller, the maxillary 3 in head. Coloration usually plain, sometimes very dark, otherwise as in Menticirrhus 
americanus martinicensis, 178 
ee. Dorsal rays x-i, 24 or 25; snout longer, 3.33 in head; maxillary reaching nearly to middle of eye 2.8 to 3 in 
head; eye small, 2 in snout; teeth villiform, in broad bands, the outer series of the upper jaw very much 
enlarged, larger than in the other species; ventrals short, 1.5 in pectoral; pectoral 1.25 in head; caudal 
with the broad rounded lower lobe longer than the acute upper; scales all ctenoid, those of the breast 
larger and regularly placed. Color, grayish-silvery, with obscure darker clouds along the back and sides, these 
marks forming dusky bars, running obliquely forward and downward to considerably below the lateral line, 
these often obsolete; the bar at the nape saddle-like; lining of gill-cavity dusky; pectoral yellowish, dusky at 
tip; an obscure dusky streak along the lower part of side running into lower lobe of caudal americanus 
dd. Outer teeth of upper jaw less enlarged; spinous dorsal elevated, the longest spine reaching past front of soft 
dorsal, its length 1.5 in head; coloration strongly marked, body scarcely silvery; eye small, 2.33 in snout, 2 in 
interorbital area, about 7 in head; snout long, bluntish, 3.8 in head; mouth large; maxillary reaching middle 
of eye, 2.8 in head; pectoral 1.14 in head. Color dusky-gray above, sometimes blackish, the back and sides 
with distinct dark oblique crossbands running downward and forward, the anterior one at the nape extending 
downward, meeting the second and thus forming a V-shaped blotch on each side; a dark lateral streak 
bounding the pale color of the belly, most distinct posteriorly and extending on lower lobe of caudal; inside 
of gill-cavity scarcely dusky; pectoral dark saxatilis 
Umbrula: 
bb. Gillrakers present, very short and rather slender; lower pharyngeals rather broad; some or most of teeth molar, 
that is, enlarged, with thickened rounded heads, the molar teeth covering at least anterior portion of bone; 
teeth in outer series of upper jaw scarcely larger than the others; scales on breast small littoralis 
178. Menticirrhus martinicensis (Cuvier & Valenciennes). Jewsharp Drummer. 
Head 3.3; depth 4; eye 7; snout 3.7; maxillary 3; mandible 2.8; interorbital 4.2; preorbital 5.3; 
D. x-i, 24; A. i, 7; pectoral 1.4; ventral 2.2; caudal 1.6; scales 6-54-12. Body quite elongate, back 
considerably elevated, ventral outline nearly straight; head small, conical, upper profile gently convex; 
mouth not large, inferior, maxillary reaching past middle of eye; outer teeth of upper jaw considerably 
enlarged; snout projecting beyond mouth; spinous dorsal small, spines slender and pointed, but not 
sharp; soft dorsal very low; anal very small; pectoral large; caudal with an emargination in upper lobe, 
lower lobe the longer; lateral line almost straight except at ends, parallel with outline of back. 
Coloration usually plain, sometimes very dark; back and sides usually with oblique dusky liars. 
Our specimens are pale below, darker above, and show few definite markings; there are faint oblique 
dark lines following rows of scales; tip of pectoral and ventrals and edge of anal nearly black. 
