REVIEW OF THE SERRANID^. 
347 
Plectropoma dentex Cuv. «& Yah, also from Australia, seems to belong to a differ- 
ent genus {Colpognathus Klunzinger, Sitzber. Akad. Wiss. Wien, 1879, LXXX, 339), 
having both jaws well scaled and three to six large canines on the side of the lower jaw. 
Colpognathus dentex has also the dorsal rays X, 18, and the antrorse teeth of the pre- 
orbital quite small. 
I have taken pleasure in naming this genus for my friend and associate, Dr. 
Charles H. Gilbert. 
ANALYSIS OF AMERICAN SPECIES OF GILBERTIA. 
a. Body compressed, moderately elongate ; bead rather pointed, the profile straightish and not very 
steep ; eye small, 5 in head ; maxillary 2 in head ; preorbital narrow, two-thirds diameter of eye ; 
teeth quite small, in very narrow bands, the inner depressihle; a stout canine on each side in 
front of each jaw, and a stout curved canine on each side of lower jaw ; supplemental maxillary 
evident; jaws naked; top of head very narrow, transversely convex, scaly ; iuterorhital width 
lOJ in head; snout 3^; preopercle rounded, arciform, rather finely and sharply serrate; two 
moderate teeth, hooked forward on its lower limb ; opercular spines small ; scales on opercles 
much smaller than those on cheeks, the latter in 15 rows ; gill rakers short and slender, x-|-10, 
as long as pupil; scales rather large, ctenoid, those on breast small; lateral line running rather 
high ; dorsal spines low, slender, the fifth longest, 2f in head ; the last spine not half the height 
of the first soft ray, which is ratlier high, 2f in head; caudal rounded ; anal rather low, the 
second spine high and strong, 2^ in head ; pectoral long. If in head. Color in spirits : hody 
and fins pale, the fins nearly plain, the spinous dorsal and anal with dark edging; upper half 
of body with seven or eight broad black cross-hands wider than the interspaces, these somewhat 
irregularly confluent along sides, and not quite meeting below ; top and sides of head with 
dark streaks; breast with dark longitudinal clouds. Head 21- in length; depth 2f. D. X, 20. 
A. Ill, B. Scales 52 (51 pores) Semicincta, 15. 
15. GILBERTIA SEMICINCTA. 
Plectropoma semioinctum Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss. IX, 442, 1833 (Juan Fernandez) ; 
Gay, “Chile.. Zool. II, 153, pi. 2, f. 1’' (Chili). 
f Plectropoma eemicinctim Giinther I, 160, 1859 (Australia) ; Steindachner, Zur Fisch-fauna, Port Jack- 
sou, 1866, 2 (Australia). 
Habitat. — Coasts of Chili. 
Etymology. — Semi, half ; cinctus, belted. 
We have examined two specimens of this species (4829 M. O. Z.), each about 6 
inches in length, collected on the island of Juan Fernandez by Dr. Steindachner. 
The coloration, the large scales, and the naked jaws give this fish a resemblance 
to the species of Serranus, but its real afifinities are with Epinephelus and Plectropoma. 
The Australian specimens referred by Gunther and Steindachner to this species 
perhaps belong to some other. 
Genus VII.— ACAXTHISTIUS. 
Acanthistius Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci., Phila., 1862, 236 (serratus). 
Type. — Plectropoma serratum Cuv. and Yal. 
Etymology. — axavOa, spine; Igtwv, sail or dorsal fin. 
This genus is allied to Plectropoma, as restricted by Gill, a chief difference being 
the presence of thirteen dorsal spines instead of eight, as in Plectropoma. This charac- 
ter of having the spines in increased i min her seems to accord with the facts of its geo- 
