334 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
284. Pterophryne g-ibba (Mitchill). Sapo; Pescador. 
Garman refers to this species certain specimens obtained in Gulf weed about Key West and the 
Tortugas. These resemble P. hislrio, but “differ markedly in certain respects. The bait on first 
dorsal spine, for instance, is bulbous and covered with slender fleshy filaments in our individuals, but 
in P. hislrio it is bifurcate. P. gihba is fairly represented by Cuvier, 1817, in his ChAronectes hcvigcttus. 
The formula for the individuals in hand is D. in, 12; A. 7; V. 5; P. 10; C. 9.” (Garman.) West 
Indies north to Key West and the Tortugas; not seen by us in Porto Rico but recorded from there 
by Professor Poey and Dr. Stahl; probably not uncommon but often confounded with P. hislrio. 
Lophius gibbus Mitchill, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. N.Y. 1815, I, pi. 4, fig. 9. 
Chironectes Ixvigatus Cuvier, M<5m. du Mus., Ill, 423, pi. 16, fig. 1,1817, South Carolina. 
fChironeclcs sonntagii Baron J. W. von Muller, Reisen in den Vereinigten Staaten, Canada, und Mexico, Band I, 180, 
1864, in floating seaweed; no exact locality stated. 
Pterophryne Ixvigala, Poey, Fauna Puerto-Riquena, 340, 1881; Stahl, 1. c., 79 and 165, 1883. 
Pterophryne gihba, Jordan & Evermann, 1. c., 2717, 1898. 
Genus 162. ANTENNARIUS Lacepede. 
Body oblong, compressed, very deep through occipital region, tapering behind; breast tumid; 
mouth rather large, more or less oblique, or even vertical; cardiform teeth on jaws, vomer, and palatines; 
eye small; skin with small granules or spinules, these usually forked, and numerous fleshy slips. 
First dorsal spine developed as a small rostral tentacle; second and third dorsal spines strong, covered 
with skin, with numerous fleshy filaments; soft dorsal high and long; anal short and deep; caudal fin 
rounded, peduncle free; pectoral fins wide, with a rather wide wrist, at lower posterior angle of which 
are the very small gill-openings; ventral fins short. 
Fantastic-looking fishes, very numerous in warm seas, especially in parts of the sea with floating 
.vegetation; not rarely individuals are found far from their native latitudes, carried by currents to the 
coasts of Norway and New Zealand. Their power of swimming is very imperfect. When near the 
coast they conceal themselves among corals, stones, or fucus, holding on to the ground by means 
of their arm-like pectoral fins. The extraordinary range of some of the species which inhabit the 
Atlantic as well as the Indo-Pacific Ocean, is the consequence of their habit of attaching themselves 
to floating objects. Their coloration is so similar to their surroundings that it is hardly possible to 
distinguish the fish from a stone or coral covered with vegetation. Their way of attracting and seizing 
their prey is evidently the same as in the other fishes of this family. Almost all the species are highly 
colored, but the pattern of colors varies exceedingly. These fishes do not attain any considerable size, 
and probably never exceed a length of 10 inches. A great number of species have been distinguished 
by ichthyologists, but probably not more than twenty are known at present. (Gunther.) 
A dozen American species of this interesting genus have been recognized, 9 of which occur in the 
West Indies. The other 3 are found in the Gulf of California and southward on our Pacific coast. Of 
the 9 West Indian species only 3 have as yet been taken in Porto Rico. 
a. Bulbous tip or “ bait” of first dorsal spine simple, undivided at tip. 
b. Skin smoothish except about eyes; first dorsal spine short, second rough. Body brown, with whitish spots; no 
ocelli inops, 285 
66. Skin with prickles, velvety or sliagreen-like. 
c. Prickles simple, none of them bifid. 
d. Color black; tips of pectorals and ventrals and one or two spots on side white (prickles undescribed) principis 
dd. Color dusky; dorsal with 3 ocelli; caudal with many spots; first dorsal longer than second; no dermal flaps, tenebfosus 
cc. Prickles or spinules on body mostly bifid. 
e. Body with 3 large ocelli, 1 on dorsal, 1 on caudal, and 1 on middle of side, besides many black spots and streaks; 
tip of first dorsal spine fringed; mouth largely black within ocellalus 
aa. Bulbous tip or “bait” on first dorsal spine bifid at tip; skin shagreen-like. 
/. Color reddish, with brown spots, those about eye radiating. 
g. Dermal flaps numerous on body; spinules on skin short and stiff, rendering surface shagreen-like scabcr, 286 
gg. Dermal flaps few; spinules on skin longer and slender, rendering surface velvety tigris 
ff. Color uniform black; surface of body rough, shagreen-like; inside of mouth white; first dorsal spine short, little 
longer than second nuttingii, 287 
aaa. Bulbous tip or ” bait” of first dorsal spine trifid. 
h. First dorsal ray twice as long as second and as long as caudal; sides with numerous black ocelli, besides other 
streaks and dark spots; skin smoothish multioccllatus 
hh. First dorsal spine barely one-half longer than second; shorter than caudal; sides with dark streaks and reticula- 
tions; a large ocellus under middle of soft dorsal; body rough, with shagreen radiosus 
