THE FISHES OF PORTO RIOO. 
283 
mm. Pectoral fin with its rays all plain-blackish; free rays.piain-dusky; scales larger, 8 T 1 + 21 in a vertical line from last 
dorsal spine to vent; interorbital space more deeply concave, its width in adult not quite length of eye; first 
dorsal spine nearly smooth; second spine 3 in head; pectoral a little more than one-half body evolans 
ll. Cheek bone with a spine (small in adult, larger in young) at center of radiation, this rarely obsolete in old examples. 
n. Spines on bones of head moderate, not knife-like; preorbital with a series of serrse and one or more bluntish spines. 
o. First 3 dorsal spines little if at all serrate. Back obscurely spotted; dorsal and caudal fins spotted with brown, first 
dorsal with a black blotch, pectoral with obscure dark spots, and margined with blue punctatus, 238 
oo. First 3 dorsal spines more or less serrate. Color brownish-yellow; spinous dorsal with a black blotch; pectoral 
with 2 longitudinal broad dark areas separated and surrounded by paler beanii 
nn. Spines on bones of head elevated, knife-like; head very large, more than two-fifths length; temporal ridge with 2 
bluntish spines; bones of head very sharply striate; young with 4 sharp, knife-like spines on side of cheek and 
snout, in a line before preocular spine, these nearly disappearing with age; maxillary about 2.33 in head; side 
without dark longitudinal stripe. 
p. Pectoral fin moderate, about one-half body in adult, 2.5 in young; gillrakers slender in young, becoming shorter and 
thicker with age, about 10 developed on lower part of arch; head broad, spines on its upper surface very promi- 
nent, all of them more or less compressed and knife-like, especially in young. Second dorsal spine 2.5 in head; 
head 2.33; depth 4.33. D. x-12; A. 11. Body brownish, much mottled with grayish and dusky, and with 3 or 4 
obscure dark crossbands; head and dorsal fins with many dark spots; caudal with 2 dusky shades; free rays of 
pectoral spotted tribulus 
238. Prionotus punctatus (Bloch). Gurnard. 
Head 2.8; depth 2.8; eye 6 in head. D. x-12; A. 12; about 50 pores in lateral line. Body 
stout; head large; preopercular spine with smaller one at its base; pectoral reaching past middle of 
anal, its length not quite one-half body; gillrakers rather long and slender, about 10 developed; 
maxillary 2.5 in head; a bluntish spine on edge of snout, behind seme; behind this 1 or 2 smaller ones, 
at least in young; no spine on cheekbone; groove behind eye evident; interorbital area rather narrow, 
concave; preocular, supraocular, occipital, and nuchal spines rather prominent; dorsal spines high, 
third 2.33 in head; first spine not serrate; mouth large, maxillary 2.5 to 2.4 in head, and reaching 
nearly to eye; a small spine on center of radiation of cheek and one before it. 
Color, nearly plain; spinous dorsal with dark clouds and without black ocelli; pectoral dark, with 
some round brown spots above; caudal dark-barred; a whitish area on back between dorsals. Our 
description is taken from two small specimens collected ( probably at Tuxpan ) on the east coast of Mexico, 
by Mr. T. Salt; from specimens in museum at Paris, the types of Cuvier & Valenciennes, and from 
a specimen taken by the Albatross at Bahia. This species is certainly the Prionotus punctatus of Cuvier 
& Valenciennes, but it may not be the species figured by Plunder, to which Bloch has given the name 
of Trigla punctata. The iigure of Plunder shows a bright-red body, with many small spots of a darker 
red, while red spots are scattered all over the fins, except spinous dorsal and ventrals. In general form 
and in the armature of head, so far as this is shown in the plate, Plumier’s figure most resembles the 
present species, but the red color suggests a possibility that some of the deep-water species may have 
been intended. The present species corresponds better to the figure than any other yet known. 
Bloch’s figure of Trigla Carolina, which has been identified with P. punctatus, is almost certainly P. 
tribulus. (Jordan & Evermann.) 
Found in the West Indies and on the coast of South America; not known from the coasts of the 
United States; not common in Porto Rico, specimens (all small) being at hand from Mayaguez, 
station 6059, off Mayaguez in 7 fathoms, Hucares, and Isabel Segunda. 
Trigla punctata Bloch, Ichthyol., pi. 353, 1793, Martinique; on a drawing by Plumier. 
Prionotus punctatus, Poey, Fauna Puerto-Riquena, 324, 1881; Stahl, 1. c., 78 and 164; Jordan & Evermann, 1. e., 2169, 1898. 
Family LXIV. PERISTEDIID^. The Deep-water Gurnards. 
Body elongate, fusiform, covered with bony plates, each of which is armed with a strong spine; 
head bony; each preorbital produced into a long, flat process, which projects more or less beyond 
mouth; mouth small, inferior, like that of a sturgeon; teeth none; lower jaw provided with barbels; 
gill-membranes separate, narrowly joined to the isthmus anteriorly; gillrakers slender. Dorsal fin 
continuous or divided. Pectoral fin short, with 2 lowermost rays detached. Ventrals i, 5, separated 
by a broad, flat area. Air-bladder simple. Pyloric caeca about 10. Color generally red. 
Deep-sea fishes, comprising 2 or 3 genera and about 13 species, bearing some resemblance to 
young sturgeons. 
a. Barbels at angle of mouth in large tufts of fringes Peristedion, 131 
aa. Barbels at angle of mouth minute, simple or nearly so Vulsiculus 
