9 92 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Known from the West Indies to Patagonia; very common on the Brazilian coast, where it replaces 
the closely related M. americanus, from which it is not well separated; recorded from Jamaica, Mar- 
tinique, and Rio Janeiro, and obtained by us in the San Juan market and at Palo Seco, Porto Rico, 
where it is probably not rare. It is a fair food-fish. 
Umbrina martinieensis Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., V, 186, 1830, Martinique. 
Umbrina gracilis Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., V, 189, 1830, Brazil. 
Umbrina arenaia Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., V, 190, 1830, Brazil. 
Umbrina januaria Steindachner, Ichth. Beitr., V, 122, 1876, Rio Janeiro. 
Menticirrhus martinieensis, Jordan & Evermann, 1. c., 1473, 1898. 
Genus 103. EQJIES Bloch. Ribbon-fishes. 
Body oblong, compressed, back much elevated anteriorly, rapidly tapering to narrow caudal 
peduncle; mouth small, lower jaw included; preorbital wide; snout with slits and pores well developed; 
teeth all villiform, in broad bands, outer scarcely enlarged; preopercle with a fringed border and 
no bony seme; scales small, irregular, with smaller ones intermixed, extending on soft fins; gillrakers 
few, short, and slender; dorsal fin very long, of 9 to 15 close-set spines and 36 to 55 soft rays; anterior 
interneurals closely wedged in behind occiput; anal small, its sjune small; caudal rhombic; pyloric 
caeca few; vertebrae 10-)- 15=25. 
This genus is one of the most remarkable in the family in respect to form as well as to the 
coloration of its species. 
a. Dorsal rays x to xn-l, 36 to 46, first 4 to 6 of the interneurals wedged in between neurals of second and third 
vertebrae. 
b. Profile steep, but not vertical; distance from snout to first dorsal spine about equal to depth of body. 
c. Dorsal spines little elevated, not nearly as long as head; back arched; dorsal with 38 to 41 soft rays; color variously 
dusky or gray, with at least traces of about 7 lengthwise streaks; depth 2.6 to 2.75 in length acuminatus, 179 
cc. Dorsal spines elevated, longest 2.75 in length of body; soft parts of vertical fins with white spots; body robust, back 
much compressed, general form much as in Eques acuminatus, but caudal peduncle deeper and more compressed; 
pectoral and ventral short and equal, 1.14 in head. Color, dark-brown, a light bar in front of eye extending 
around chin, a second pale bar extending around head immediately behind eyes, a third extending from in 
front of dorsal over base of pectoral; a light bar along base of soft dorsal; a light bar extending from behind 
elevated portion of spinous dorsal downward, dividing into two, the branches running straight back, upper 
branch to beginning of last fourth of soft dorsal, lower branch to base of caudal; 2 or 3 light, undulating 
longitudinal bars below these; fins all dark brown, vertical fins with many whitish stellate spots. Head 3.75 in 
length; depth 3. D. xi or xii-i, 46 punctatus 
bb. Profile very steep. Body deepest below first dorsal spine, thence rapidly tapering to narrow caudal peduncle. 
Color, olivaceous, 3 dark-brown longitudinal bands along side, middle one from eye backward reaching tips of 
middle caudal rays. D. x-i, 37 pulcher 
aa. Dorsal rays xiv or xv-i, 53; about 9 interneurals wedged in between neurals of second and third vertebrae; pro- 
file almost vertical; body highly variegated, with ribbon-like oblique bands lanceolatus 
179. Eques acuminatus (Bloch & Schneider). “Berdugo” or “ Bergudo 
Head 3.1; depth 2.8; eye 3.8; snout 4.1; maxillary 2.6; mandible 2.4; interorbital 4.2; preorbital 
5.2; D. x-i, 39; A. ii, 7; pectoral 1.5; ventral 1.5; scales about 50. Body elongate, compressed 
posteriorly, back much elevated, ventral outline nearly straight; anterior profile straight from front 
of dorsal to upper part of blunt snout; mouth moderate, low, maxillary reaching middle of eye, lower 
jaw included, teeth in bands, outer row in upper jaw enlarged; soft fins all more or less scaly; gill- 
rakers short, not pointed, 6+8. 
Color in spirits: Everywhere dark brown, with pale longitudinal stripes, as follows: two from 
region of nape nearly confluent at middle of soft dorsal; one from a little above eye to last rays of soft 
dorsal; one from upper edge of eye to upper edge of caudal peduncle; two from near base of pectoral 
to base of caudal, the upper of these extending faintly across head to eye. 
This species ranges from South Carolina to Brazil; it has been recorded from Key West, Tortugas, 
and Jamaica, and was obtained by us at Arroyo, Porto Rico, from which place we have two specimens, 
each 6 inches long. Valued as food. 
Grammistes acuminatus Bloeh & Schneider, Syst. Ichth., 184, 1801, no locality; after Seba. 
Eques hncatus Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., V, 169, 1830, Brazil. 
Eques acuminatus, Jordan & Evermann, 1. c., 1487, 1898. 
