REVIEW OF THE SERRANID^. 
349 
17. ACANTHISTIUS PATACHONICUS. 
Pleotropoma patachonica Jenyas, Voyage Beagle, Fishes, 1840, 11. (Mouth of the Rio de la Plata; east 
coast of Patagonia.) 
Habitat. — Soiitheasteru coasts of South America, north to Uruguay. 
Etymology. — Patachonicus, Patagonian. 
We have examined specimens of this species (4515 M. C. Z.) collected at Maldonado 
by Mr. Thomas G. Carey. Numerous specimens were also taken by the Albatross at 
points on the east coast of Patagonia, most of them off Cape San Matios. It is 
well distinguished from its congener, A . brasilianus, by the characters originally noticed 
by Mr. Jenyns, as well as by its coloration and the small size of its scales. 
Genus VIII.— ALPHESTES. 
Alphestes Bloch & Schneider, Syst. Ichthyol., 236, 1801 (afer). 
Prospinus Poey, MSS. ; Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci., Phila., 237, 1862 (ohloropterm ~ afer). 
Type.— E pinephelus afer Bloch. 
Etymology. — greedy or incontinent, a name applied to a kind of fish that 
swims in pairs, one behind the other, possibly Symphodus tinea. 
This genus contains a few species of small size, intermediate between Pleotropoma 
and Epinephelus. 
For the synonymy of its species see Jordan & Swain, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 
1884, 394. 
ANALYSIS OF SPECIES OF ALPHESTES. 
a. Preopercle with a single strong autrorse spine below its angle ; second anal spine longer than third ; 
bead small ; scales mostly cycloid. D. XI, 17. A. Ill, 9. Scales 80. 
b. Olivaceous, the ground color nearly uniform, the body and tins closely covered with small dark- 
brown spots; breast plain; snout slender, pointed ; lower jaw rather strongly projecting. 
Multiguttatus, 18. 
bb. Olive, clouded with dusky, the body with rather few dark orange spots; breast with pearly 
spots; a dark mustache above the maxillary; lower jaw little projecting; preorbital very 
narrow Afer, 19. 
aa. [Preopercle witli two autrorse spines below the angle; second anal spine not longer than third, but 
stouter; canine teeth ^'bick aud blunt ; third to fifth dorsal spines highesc; caudal truncate, 
with rounded angles; veutrals reaching tips of pectorals, uot to anal fin; scales ctenoid; 
color iron-gray, paler below; fins, except pectoral, dusky. Head, 2|- ; depth, 2f. D. XI, 17. 
A. Ill, 9. Scales 100.] (Kner) Pictus, 20. 
18 ALPHESTES MULTIGUTTATUS. 
Pleotropoma miiUitjuttatum Giinther, Proc. Zool. Soc., London, 1866, 600 (Panama). 
Alphestes multiguttatus Jordan & Gilbert, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., 1882, 107, 110 (Mazatlan; Pan- 
ama) ; Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1882, 375. 
Epiaephelus multiguttatus Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1882, 625 (Panama); Jordan & 
Swain, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1884, 395 (Mazatlan; Panama). 
Pleotropoma afrum Giinther, Fishes Centr. Amer., 411, 1869, with plate (Panama). 
Habitat. — Pacific coast of tropical America ; Mazatlan to Panama. 
Etymology. — Multum, many; guttatus, spotted. 
This species is common on the Pacific coast of tropical America, where it repre- 
sents the closely related A. afer. 
