KEVIEW OF THE SERRANIDiE. 
401 
c. Dorsal rays X, 13; head acuminate, at least in young; pectoral flu flnely barred with black 
and whitish, precisely like the caudal flu ; a very conspicuous inky- 
black blotch on front of soft dorsal (at least in young specimens), 
this being a continuation of one of the bars on the body; a black 
ring about tail at base of caudal, before which are six or seven dark 
bars, becoming progressively broader and fainter forwards ; lower 
parts of head with a conspicuous net- work of dark streaks. Head, 
2^; depth, 3. D. X, 13; A. Ill, 7. Scales, 6-45-17 (probably young 
of the next) Subligakius, 83. 
cc. Dorsal rays X, 12; head less slender ; pectorals red ; inky-black spot on front of soft dorsal 
small or obsolete; dusky bars on body more distinct than in S. sub- 
ligarius, the bar at base of caudal broken into two or three dark 
spots; a dusky bar behind pale bar in front of anal. Head, 2|; 
depth, 2f. D. X, 12; A. Ill, 7. Scales, 5-45-14 .. Fla viventris, 84. 
65. [vScales small, about 60 in the lateral line; margin of preopercle rounded, without stronger 
spines at the angle. Color reddish, with two incomplete black 
rings behind the eye, with a large saddle-shaped black blotch on 
the back of the trunk and with some small black dots on the dorsal 
and caudal flns. D. X, 12 ; A. Ill, 7.] (Giinther.)..AifNULARis, 85. 
aa. Caudal lunate or forked. 
c. Scales large, 45 to 55 in the course of the lateral line. (Prionodes Jenyns.) 
d, Opercle with a large inky blotch within, which extends also on the membranes of the 
shoulder-girdle ; preorbital and maxillary narrow, the latter 2| in 
head; teeth small; eye large, 3 in head, longer than the short snout, 
which is 4^ in head ; dorsal spines rather high, not filamentous ; soft 
dorsal not scaly ; a notch between spinous aud soft parts of dorsal ; 
caudal well forked; second anal spine small, but longer than third, 
3| in head ; scales large and regular. Head 3 in length; depth 3. 
D. X, 12 ; A. II, 7. Scales 3-47-11 ; sides with six dark vertical bars, 
the second extending as a jet-black blotch on the spinous dorsal 
from the fourth to the ninth spine ; a paler bar before anal ; flns 
mostly pale Atrobranchus, 86. 
dd. Opercular black blotch, if present, not extending on shoulder-girdle. 
e. Scales on cheek very large in about five series ; dorsal spiues not quite equal ; the fourth 
longest, about twice length of the ninth. 
X. Teeth of jaws unusually small, the canines scarcely differentiated; lower 
teeth in one series; body slender, tbe head long; lower jaw little 
projecting ; mouth large, the maxillary 2^ in head ; eye large, as long 
as snout, 4| in head ; interorbital space flat, its width three-fifths 
orbit ; preorbital narrow, one-fourth eye ; angle of preopercle slightly 
projecting, the vertical margin gently concave, the serr;e minute 
and equal; opercle produced backwards, with a single spine; gill- 
rakers long and slender, x -|- 16, the longest half eye; dorsal spines 
weak, flexible, low, the fourth longest, 3| in head; the ninth 7 in 
head ; caudal deeply lunafe ; anal not rounded, its spines slender, 
graduated ; ventrals half head ; pectorals long aud narrow, reaching 
front of anal; scales large, ctenoid; scales on opercles large ; top of 
head scaled forwards to posterior margin of pupil ; dorsal and anal 
scaleless ; dusky brownish, paler below, a series of about seven ill- 
defined, dusky blotches along lateral line; from these, still fainter 
bars run downwards ; lining of opercle largely black, this appearing 
externally as a dusky blotch ; vertical flns transparent, with minute 
dark specks ; ventrals with median rays black ; peritoneum silver ; 
no sharp markings on body or flns. Head, 2^ in length ; depth, 3|. 
D. X, 12; A. Ill, 7. Scales, 4^-48-13 HSquidens, 87. 
Bull. U. S. F. C., 88 26 
