REVIEW OF THE SEERANID^. 
403 
h. Body covered with irregular, inky-black spots and bands. Body long and low, the 
bead low and sharp, the lower jaw projecting; scales small; top of 
head naked, the smooth area on frontal region large; scales on 
cheek small, in ten or twelve rows; preopercle rounded, with regu- 
lar serrse; teeth small; gill-rakers very short, x -f- 6 to 8. Eye 4 
in head ; maxillary 2^, reaching to center of eye ; soft dorsal and 
anal naked ; dorsal low, not notched ; caudal forked ; second and 
third anal spines equal, the second the strongest, in head ; pec- 
toral in head. Color brownish above, the sides yellowish, every- 
where above, below, and on fins covered with irregular, inky-black 
spots, blotches, and bands, the latter meeting around the belly; pec- 
torals and anal plain; a broad ring around base of caudal, and many 
irregular spots around bases of ventrals and pectorals; numerous 
black spots on dorsals and caudal, one of those on front of sjjinous 
dorsal very conspicuous. Head, 2f in length ; depth, 3f. D. X, 11 ; 
A. Ill, 7. Scales, 8-68-24 (60 pores) Tigrinus, 91. 
hh. Body not covered with conspicuous, inky-hlaok spots and hands, 
i. Back with three or more large, conspicuous blotches of yellowish white. Body more 
elongate than in related species; profile slightly convex ; interor- 
bital space concave; eyes large, longer than snout, 3^ in head ; max- 
illary reaching middle of eye; lower jaw slightly projecting; scales 
on cheeks small, in eleven series ; scales in front of dorsal small, 
crowded in twenty-five series ; top of head naked ; dorsal spines low, 
fifth the longest, 2J in head ; caudal strongly lunate ; anal spines 
graduated, the third 3^ in head ; pectorals and ventrals short, not 
reaching vent. Color brownish red above, with areas of light yel- 
low on sides of back ; one before dorsal, a large one and a small one 
below spinous dorsal ; a large one below last rays of soft dorsal ; 
one on back of tail; yellow before eye; belly and lower parts light 
red; top of head with two pale cross-shades, one before, one be- 
hind eyes; lower fins light orange; caudal red with two conspic- 
uous longitudinal stripes of blackish red ; dorsal red-shaded, a ma- 
roon blotch on each part of it, extending upward from a similar 
blotch on the back. Head, 3 in length ; depth, 3f. D. X, 12 ; A. 
Ill, 7. Scales, 11-73-25 Tabacarius, 92. 
it. Back without conspicuous blotches of yellowish white. 
j. [Coloration nearly uniform, the body elongate, without distinct hands or spots ; 
snout short and thick ; head flat above ; preopercle finely serrate ; 
scales small; top of head naked; caudal slightly lunate. Color 
brownish yellow on hack, orange on sides, and brighter or red on 
beliy; no spots nor bands; upper part of head bluish, the fins 
gray; caudal bordered above and below with brown. D. IX (X), 
12; A. Ill, 7. Scales, 60 to 65.] (Cm. cf Fah). . .Flavescens, 93. 
jj. [Coloration not uniform ; reddish brown with a pale strii^e along the lateral line ; 
head, body, and sides silvery, with seven or eight large, round spots ; 
dorsal yellowish, edged with red ; caudal brownish ; anal reddish 
brown, with two rounded, reddish brown spots. D. X, 12; A. Ill, 9. 
Scales and other characters uudescribed.] (Lesson.) .Peruanus, 94. 
gg. Lower jaw very strongly projecting ; body elongate, moderately compressed ; scales 
small (about 70) (Mentiperca Gill). 
k. [Snout blunt, scarcely longer than eye; caudal fin not banded; body rather deeper 
than in S. luoiopercanus] dorsal fin low, rather deeply notched, the 
first and second spines low, the third highest ; cauda. well forked; 
anal spines graduated ; preopercle well serrated, the posterior margin 
vertical; color purplish above, yellowish below, the upper fins edged 
or tipped with orange yellow.] (Gastelnau.) Castelnaui, 95 
