THE FISHES OF PORTO RICO. 
225 
scarcely paler; scales on anterior part of side sometimes with a long conspicuous bronze-olive spot; 
head, side, and bases of vertical fins usually with small sky-blue spots, these spots frequently in life 
inclining to black, in alcohol becoming at first more intense blue and later fading to white; the abun- 
dance of these spots varies greatly; in larger individuals, from 3 to 4 inches in length, the spots are 
greatly reduced in number, sometimes almost wholly absent; more abundant in individuals 2.5 inches 
or under in length, sometimes profusely so. Spots on anterior part of head sometimes take the shape 
of narrow lines or oblong blotches; a large blue blotch at bases of upper piectoral rays, becoming black 
in alcohol ; a large black blotch on middle of anterior dorsal rays, sometimes quite round and surrounded 
by a narrow blue border; a small blue spot, fading to white in alcohol, near base of last anal rays. 
Seventeen specimens, varying from 3 to 3.5 inches in length, collected at Ponce, February 1 , were 
quite uniform in coloration; they each show a few white spots, some very faintly, on side and 
occasionally at base of anal; none noticeable on head or fins; a white spot present in every case on last 
anal ray at base; a single black spot at base of upper pectoral rays; dorsal ocellus showing distinctly 
on only three or four specimens; caudal usually x>ale, yellowish on two specimens. Seven specimens, 3 
to 4 inches in length, collected at Culebra Island, February 11, were each x>rofusely covered with pale-blue 
or whitish spots, most abundant on head, dorsal, and base of caudal and anal; spot at base of last anal 
ray always present; black spot at base of piectoral sometimes obscure; dorsal ocellus usually present; 
caudal pale or yellowish on three or four of the specimens. Nineteen specimens, somewhat smaller, 
collected at Fajardo, February 17, closely resemble the Culebra specimens; some of them, however, 
resemble more closely specimens from Ponce in the less numerous spots; the bluish-white spot at 
base of last anal ray is always present, and most of the specimens show the dorsal ocellus. Twenty 
other specimens from Fajardo, collected on same date and of smaller size, are much more profusely 
spotted; the dorsal ocellus is more distinct and the caudal fin more yellowish; the lower part of sides 
and the belly are p>aler. These specimens show a near approach to E. leucosticlus. Four specimens 
from Mayaguez, each about 2.5 inches long, are pirofusely spotted like those from Culebra and 
Fajardo, but the general color is much darker; white spot on anal and black one on base of pectoral 
present; the dorsal oc.ellus is fairly distinct. . Eleven specimens from Puerto Real, each 3.5 inches long, 
resemble closely those from Ponce in having but few spots; white spot on anal and black blotch at 
base of pectoral both present; dorsal ocellus evident in only six of eleven specimens; caudal peduncle 
and fin usually yellowish. Three small specimens from Hucares are profusely covered with small 
blue specks and agree with those from Culebra. 
In our collections from Porto Rico we have what we provisionally identify as three species of 
Eupomacentrus, namely, E. fuscus, E. analis, and E. leucosticlus ; but we are not at all sure that all three 
of these should not be united under one species — E. fuscus. The color variations and intergradations 
are most p>erplexing. In the field, fresh specimens sometimes show a most diverse coloration, but 
when brought into the laboratory these differences, to a very large extent, disappear. In life the 
caudal peduncle, caudal fin, and under parts are inclined to be more decidedly yellow than in alcoholic 
specimens, but this is not always true. In some instances, as, for examine, the majority of specimens 
obtained at Ponce and Fajardo, the under p>arts are scarcely less dark than the upper. As a general 
rule the younger individuals are more pirofusely covered with brilliant sky-blue spots than are the 
older ones. As already stated, these spots appiear in life as black or very dark-blue, but in alcohol 
they invariably fade first to sky-blue and finally to white or bluish-white; the spot near the base of 
last anal ray is usually bluish-white in life, fading to white in spirits. 
The blotch on base of pectoral is sometimes bluish, but usually black. Some of the spots on 
anterior part of head are oblong or linear; the blotch on anterior soft rays of soft dorsal is usually black 
and irregular in form, though frequently it is beautifully ocellated, the border being a narrow line of 
bright sky-blue; this ocellus is always present in young examples, but frequently disappears in those 
of larger size. Except in a very few specimens, which we refer to E. fuscus, the spot near the base of 
the last anal ray is always present; except on certain specimens, which we refer to E. leucosticlus, and 
whose colors agree closely with plate 28, there is no sharp contrast between the color of the uppier 
and the lower parts, but where there is any difference at all it is through the gradual change from 
the dark of the back to the lighter of the ventral ptarts; except for the constant presence of the spot 
upon the anal fin, the specimens which we refer to E. analis would agree equally well with the 
prescriptions of E. fuscus; but as we have found no specimens without the anal spot, it seems best at 
present to regard the two forms as distinct. To ascertain the true relations of these species careful 
field studies in many different localities in the West Indies are necessary. 
F. C. B. 1900—15 
