258 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
215. Cantherines pullus (Ranzani). Lija Colorada; “ Peje Puerco.” 
Head 3.3; depth about 2; D. ii, 35; A. 31. Body moderately elevated; snout moderately produced, 
upper profile slightly concave; posterior margin of eye directly above axil. Adults (12 inches long) 
with 2 to 6 pairs of strong recurved spines on each side of tail; caudal short; dorsal spine nearly 
straight, rather shorter than head, without barbs, serrulate in front, situated above front of eye; skin 
with a velvety appearance; scales minute. 
Coloration variable, generally with a whitish spot behind the last dorsal ray, and several more or 
less distinct pale longitudinal bands along tail; head with undulated bluish streaks; body sometimes 
with scattered round light spots, each with a dark speck in center; young sometimes uniform silvery; 
color probably varying with surroundings. Specimens 7 inches long were, in life, dirty-brown, body 
sparsely covered with small reddish-brown spots; side of head with narrow brown lines and brown 
spots; dorsal and anal pale; caudal brown, crossed by a pale bar near middle, which is followed by a 
dark bar; tip of tail with a green border. In alcohol, the body and head become grayish or blackish; 
an irregular black blotch behind gill-opening; tins all pale, traces of bars on caudal remaining. In 
the young there are no spines on tail. 
From the West Indies to coast of Brazil, and occasionally north to Florida. It has been recorded 
from the Florida Keys and the Tortugas; also from Cuba and Bahia. Probably not abundant in Porto 
Rico; two obtained at Arroyo, each 7 inches long; others seen. It reaches a weight of 6 pounds. 
Lija colorada, Parra, Dif. Piezas, etc., pi. 23, 1787, Cuba. 
Monacanthus pullus Ranzani, Nov. Comm. Act. Sci. Inst. Bonon., V, 4, pi. 1, 1842, Brazil. 
Monacanthus pardalis, Gunther, Cat., VIII, 230, 1870; in part, probably not of Rtlppell. 
Monacanthus ruppelii Castelnau, Anim. Nouv. Amer. Sud, Poiss.,97, pi. 47, fig. 2, Bahia. 
Monacanthus macrocerus Hollard, Ann. Sci. Nat. 1854, 4th series, II, 327, pi. 12, fig. 1, 1854; Bahia, adult. 
Monacanthus irroratus Poey, Memorias, II, 330, 1861, Cuba. 
Monacanthus stratus Poey, Memorias, II, 329, 1861, Cuba. 
Monacantlms parraianus Poey, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1863, 185, Cuba; after Lija Colorada of Parra, 
Monacanthus punctatus Poey, Synopsis, 437, 1868, Cuba. 
Cantherines pullus, Jordan & Evermann, 1. c., 1713,1898. 
Genus 120. MONACANTHUS Cuvier. 
Body short and deep, very strongly compressed, covered with minute, rough scales. Mouth 
very small; upper jaw with a double series of incisor-like teeth, usually 6 in outer and 4 in inner series; 
lower jaw with about 6 incisors in a single series; teeth connivent, unequal; gill-opening a small slit, 
shorter than eye, nearly vertical below posterior part of eye and just in front of upper edge of pectoral. 
Dorsal spine large, armed with two series of retrorse barbs, no conspicuous filaments; second dorsal 
and anal fins similar to each other, of about 25 to 35 rays each ; caudal fin moderate, rounded ; pelvic 
bone with a blunt, movable spine, bone connected by a movable flap of varying size; side of tail often 
with a patch of spines, especially in males. Vertebrae 7 -j- H to 14 = 18 to 21. 
Species very numerous, in warm seas; most of them small, lean fishes with leathery skin and 
bitter flesh, unsuited for food. 
Monacanthus; 
a. Ventral flap in adult greatly developed, extending much beyond ventral spine; adult with 2 or 3 pairs of recurved 
spines on caudal peduncle; young without these characters, similar to young ol.Stephanolepis. 
h. D.i,30; A. 30. Color very variable ciliatus, 216 
Stephanolepis: 
aa. Ventral flap, even in adult, moderately developed, not reaching beyond pelvic spine; no recurved spines on caudal 
peduncle. 
c. Dorsal and anal each with 30 to 32 soft rays. 
d. Depth more than half length of body hispidus, 217 
dd. Depth less than half length of body spilonotus 
cc. Dorsal and anal each with about 27 soft rays oppositus 
216. Monacanthus ciliatus ( Mitch ill). Leather-fish; Lija; “ Pez de Puerco.” 
Head 3.5; depth 1.75; young 1.5; D. i, 30; A. 30; scales very small, without median crest. 
Spines becoming longer on caudal peduncle, tvhieh has in addition 2 or 3 pairs of strong spines curved 
forward, these prominent only in adults; ventral flap longer than head, about one-third length of 
body. Scales on ventral flap developed as flat plates, with their free margins pectinate. Snout 
pointed, upper profile concave. Dorsal spine strong, nearly as long as head, armed behind with 2 
rows of retrorse barbs; ventral spine small, rough. 
