THE EISHES OF POETO RlLO. 
231 
over the forehead and eyes. The name “hog-fish” refers to the swine-like appearance of the head, 
jaws, and teeth. Like all other members of the family, it feeds chiefly upon small fish and upon 
bottom mollusks and crustaceans. It is an important food-fish throughout its range and is one of the 
most common and attractive species seen in the wells of fishing boats at Key West. It is a favorite 
food-fish in Cuba, though at one time its sale was forbidden by law on account of the supposed pois- 
onous character of its flesh. This opinion obtains to some extent in Porto Rico, but apparently the 
flesh of only the large individuals is believed to possess any deleterious properties. Whether there is 
any good reason for this belief is doubtful. 
Suillus (the Great Hog-fish), Catesby, Nat. Hist. Carolina, etc., pi. 15, 1750, Bahamas. 
Labrus maximus Walbaum, Artedi Piscium, 261, 1792. 
Lachnolaimus suillus Cuvier, R5gne Animal, ed. II, vol. 2, 257, 1829, Bahamas; after Catesby. 
Lachnolaimus aigula Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., XIII, 277, 1839, St. Bartholomew. 
Ladmolaimus dux Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., XIII, 285, Martinique. 
Lachnolaimus caninus Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., XIII, 288, 1839, St. Thomas and Santo Domingo. 
Lachnolaimus psittacus Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., XIII, 291, 1839, Porto Rico. 
Lachnolccmus suillus Poey, Fauna Puerto-Riquena, 336, 1881. 
Lachnolaimus mciximus, Jordan & Evermann, 1. c. , 1579, 1898. 
Genus 107. IRIDIO Jordan & Evermann. Doncellas. 
Body oblong, compressed, not elevated, covered with large scales, there being 25 to 30 in course 
of lateral line, which is not interrupted, but abruptly bent posteriorly. Scales on breast rather smaller. 
Head naked, compressed, conic. Preopercle entire. Teeth large, upper jaw with 2 strong canines in 
front, none of them bent backward; lower jaw with 4 anterior canines, a posterior canine tooth directed 
forward on each side of upper jaw. Dorsal spines 9; anal spines 3, graduated; ventrals inserted under 
axil of pectoral. Gillrakers short and feeble; gill-membranes slightly joined to a narrow isthmus. 
Vertebrae 10 + 15 = 25. 
There are numerous species of this genus, most of them brilliantly colored, abounding in kelp 
in the tropical seas. All of them are American. The genus is very close to the Old World Halichceres, 
differing chiefly in the dentition and in the presence of 3 anal spines instead of 2. 
a. Caudal fin very slightly concave, truncate when spread open, outer rays longer than middle ones; body deep and 
compressed, depth about 2.75 in length; ventral fins filamentous, outer ray produced, more than twice as long 
as inner ray; scales before dorsal not crossing middle line, in about 5 series. 
b. Side below spinous dorsal without dark crossbar; general color bluish (male), or bronze (female), with many sky- 
blue spots, most distinct posteriorly; sky-blue spots and streaks on head; a stripe passing through upper part of 
eye; fins with blue stripes; a dark axillary spot; end of pectoral dusky radialus 
bb. Side below spinous dorsal with a very broad, blackish cross-bar kirscliU, 186 
aa. Caudal fin rounded or subtruncate, outer rays not produced, shorter than middle rays. 
c. Scales before dorsal large, in 4 to 6 rows, not crossing median line; snout moderately pointed. 
d. Ventral fins with outer ray produced, more than twice length of inner. 
e. Side without conspicuous dark lateral band and with a distinct dark vertical bar, extending downward from 
spinous dorsal; axillary spot obscure; body rather elongate, depth about 3.75 in length; profile not steep; pos- 
terior canines rather small; head with black streaks and spots above; caudal sharply barred garnoti 
ee. Side with a broad blue-black lateral band extending from eye to tip of caudal; back above this, dark brown or 
bluish; spinous dorsal with no conspicuous black spot; a dark-blue stripe from eye to nape; fins mostly blue- 
black with pale edgings; middle and base of caudal dusky; tip of pectoral dusky; profile rather steep; body 
rather robust, depth 3.33 in length cyanocephahis 
del. Ventral fins with outer ray not produced, its length not more than twice that of inner rays; side with a dark 
lateral band; species of small size. 
/. Spinous dorsal with a conspicuous blue-black spot between fifth and seventh spines; body not very slender, depth 
3.8 in length; a dark band from snout through eye to opercle, lateral band on side broader than eye and placed 
a little above opercular band, lateral band extending nearly to. tip of caudal; no second dark band below it; a 
faint dark spot under last dorsal ray and one at base of pectoral above; 2 or 3 narrow bluish-white stripes 
across cheek; body and fins in life with bright colors which fade in alcohol maculipinna 
ff. Spinous dorsal pale, black spot very small or wanting; body slender, depth 4 in length; opercle with a conspicuous 
black spot; a blue-black band from snout through eye and across opercles to base of caudal, not extending on 
fin; a narrower and fainter band from lower base of pectoral to above anal, these bands growing fainter with 
age and sometimes disappearing, lower always wanting in adult; no axillary spot; no distinct bands across 
cheek; fins mostly pale, with bright red and blue colors in life, young and deep-water individuals often 
showing a black spot at base of caudal and sometimes a dark spot near middle of dorsal, with sometimes a 
larger one at base of its last ray; angles of caudal black in adult, lower pharyngeals T-shaped, the anterior 
limb very short bivittaius , 185 
aao. Caudal fin double-concave, median portion convex, outer rays more or less produced in adult (fin rounded in 
young) ; scales before dorsal in 6 or 7 rows, not crossing median line; a blue-black spot close behind eye, some- 
times obsolete in adult. 
