312 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Color in life: Body mottled yellow-olivaceous, crossed by about 7 broad black vertical bars, the 
first extending from origin ol' dorsal to upper edge of opercle, second from fifth dorsal spine to base of 
pectoral, next 3 extending entirely across side, sixth from base of soft dorsal to median line, and 
seventh consisting of 2 or 3 black blotches upon upper part of caudal peduncle; a round jet-black 
spot as large as pupil upon opercle, surrounded by a narrow line of orange or yellow; cheek and 
upper parts of head like side; throat and breast pale-rosy; branehiostegals white with about 4 series 
of black spots on membranes; belly pale; dorsal fin yellowish at base, pale bluish-white on outer half, 
both spinous and soft portions with numerous small reddish spots; a round black spot between first 
and third dorsal spines; caudal pale; anal yellowish at base, paler on outer half; pectoral pale with 
numerous small reddish spots; ventral pale; nuchal filaments reddish-brown; iris reddish-brown. 
The color on this species seems to be subject to considerable variation; we have the following 
note on a specimen obtained atMayaguez: Side greenish-gray, with about 6 dark crossbars extending 
upon dorsal fin, bifid above; cheek and throat vermilion; inside of the mouth and breast vermilion, 
becoming golden posteriorly; cheek with many pale-blue spots; similar spots on top of head and base 
of pectoral and paler ones on lower part of side; a large black spot bordered by white on opercle, 
bounded on front and above by rich metallic-rosy; dorsal lemon barred with brown; anal lemon- 
yellow with pale darker bars; caudal plain lemon, faintly barred; pectoral lemon, with faint bars; 
ventral rosy; cirri barred with pale-yellow and dark-brown; 6 dark bars on spinous dorsal and 2 on soft, 
second one faint; a large black spot between first and third dorsal spines; iris with purplish-red spots. 
West Indies, north to southern Florida, south to Brazil; generally common in rocky pools; also 
recorded from the Canary Islands. Length 6 to 8 inches. Common in Porto Rico, specimens being in 
the collection from San Antonio Bridge, Palo Seco, Mayaguez, Puerto Real, Ponce, Arroyo, Fajardo, 
Isabel Segunda, and Culebra. 
Clinus nuchipinnis Quoy & Gaimard, Voy. Uranie et Physicienne, Zool., 255, 1824, Brazil. 
Clinus pectinifer Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., XI, 374, 1836, Bahia. 
Lcpisoma cirrhosum, Do Kay, N. Y. Fauna: Fishes, 41, 1842, Florida. 
Clinus canariensis Valenciennes, in Webb & Berthelot, Poiss. lies Canaries, 60, 17, fig. 3, Canary Islands. 
Labrisomus nuchipinnis, Jordan & Evermann, 1. c., 2362, 1898. 
Genus 150. AUCHENOPTERUS Giinther. 
Body moderately elongate, compressed, covered with rather large, cycloid scales; head shortish, 
naked, snout rather pointed; cheek full; mouth moderate, with a band of conical teeth in jaws and 
about one series on vomer, none on palatines; lower jaw prominent; gill-membranes united, free from 
isthmus; upper surface of head with filaments. Dorsal fin composed of stiff spines, with but a single 
soft ray, which is lower than the spines; first 3 spines more or less separated from others, stiff and 
rather wider set, sometimes higher than the others; anal fin low, with 2 short spines; ventrals jugular, 
well developed; pectoral broad; lateral line complete, strongly curved anteriorly. 
An inhabitant of the warm seas. This genus differs from Cristiceps in the large scales and in having 
but 1 soft ray in dorsal fin. Of the dozen recognized American species of Auchenopterus, 5 are known 
from Porto Rico, and some of the others may occur there. 
Corallicola: 
a. First 3 spines of dorsal forming a separate fin, being much higher than any of the spines in the posterior part of 
fin; snout rather acute. 
b. Scales 33; dorsal with 1 ocellus, anal with none; a black crossbar at base of caudal; a yellow spot behind eye; 
snout pointed nigripinnis 
bb. Scales 37 or 38. 
c. First dorsal spine shorter than second; snout slender, very acute; caudal pale; dorsal with 2 ocelli, anal with 1; 
D. iii-xxii, 1 marmoratus. 
Auchenopterus: 
aa. First 3 spines of dorsal scarcely forming a separate fin, none of them higher than posterior spines; snout not very 
acute; anal without ocellus. 
d. Caudal fin pale, usually with a dark bar at its base; a notch between third and fourth dorsal spines. 
e. Dorsal spines about 31. • 
/. Scales 31 to 36. 
g. Membrane of third dorsal spine joining fourth spine near its base affinis 
gg. Membrane of third dorsal spine joining fourth spine near its tip. 
h. Caudal fin white, with a broad, black bar on its base; body dark, no crossbars; scales 2-34-3, 7 in transverse 
series; D. xxx, 1 albicaudus, 265 
hh. Caudal fin mottled, a narrow white bar near base, before which is a broader dark bar; body with about 7 dark 
crossbars; scales 2-34-3, 7 in transverse series; D. xxix, 1 fajardo, 266 
