FISHES-PERCIDAE-BRYTTUS ALBULUS. 
19 
BRYTTUS, Cuv. & Val. 
Gen. Char. —Body sub-elliptical, compressed. Head moderate ; mouth small; jaws equal. Velvet-like teeth on the jaws, 
front of vomer, and palatine bones. Tongue smooth. Cheeks and opercular apparatus scaly. Edge of preopercle smooth 
and entire. Branchial apertures continuous under the throat. Spinous portion of dorsal fin longer than the soft, and nearly 
as high, with scarcely any depression between the two. Three anal spines. Insertion of ventral fins, situated posteriorly to 
the base of the pectorals. Caudal fin posteriorly emarginated. Scales well developed. 
Syn.— Brytlus , Cuv. & Val. Hist. nat. des Poiss. VII, 1831, 461.— Storer, Synops. 1846, 43. 
“ It is impossible/’ says Cuvier, “ to find a greater resemblance than that observed between 
these fishes ( Bryttus ) and tbe Pomotis. The small narrow band of velvet-like teeth which 
exists along the external edge of each palatine bone is the only character by which they may 
be distinguished.” 
Now the same thing is almost true with reference to Calliurus, and at first we were at a loss 
to draw a limit between the latter and Bryttus. Upon comparing, however, the various species 
which have come under our notice, we have traced a few characters which may be regarded as 
generical features in Bryttus. Thus, the general shape of the body resembles Pomotis most, being 
rather sub-elliptical and deep, than elongated. The mouth is smaller than in Calliurus, and the 
jaws equal, as in Pomotis, likewise. The spinous portion of the dorsal fin is more elevated than 
in Calliurus, and again resembling that of Pomotis. So we may truly say that the species of 
Bryttus are Pomotis provided with a narrow band of palatine teeth. 
The geographic range of this genus is more restricted yet than that of Pomotis, its species, so 
far, having only been found in the south and southwestern portions of the area inhabited by 
the Pomotis. 
1. BRYTTUS ALBULUS, Grd. 
Plate YI, Figs. 1 — 4. 
Spec. Char. —Body sub-elliptical, rather contracted and deep. Nape convex, and snout sub-conical. Posterior extremity 
of maxillary extending to the anterior rim of the orbit. Insertion of ventrals situated posteriorly to the base of the 
pectorals and the anterior margin of the dorsal; their tips overlapping the vent. Scales rather large. Pale reddish 
brown, lighter beneath than above. Fins greyish olive ; dorsal with a black patch. 
Syn.— Bryttus albulus, Grd. in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. November, 1857. 
The body is very much compressed ; the head entering three times and a half in the total 
length, whilst the greatest depth enters in the same length twice and a half time. The eye is 
w r ell developed, sub-circular, its diameter being contained about four times in the length of the 
side of the head. The posterior extremity of the maxillary reaches a vertical line intersecting 
the anterior rim of the orbit. The tips of the posterior rays of the anal project a little beyond 
those of the dorsal; the posterior extremity of the caudal being but slightly emarginated. 
The second and third anal spines are stout and deep ; the first is short and slender. The tips 
of the ventrals do not extend to the anterior margin of the anal, though overlapping the vent, 
which is situated somewhat in advance of the latter. The posterior extremity of the pectoral 
fins does not extend as far back as that of the ventrals. 
Br. Y: Y; D X, 11; A III, 10 ; C 4, 1, 8, 1, 1, 3 ; V I, 5 ; P 13. 
The scales are well developed, and deeper than long ; twenty-three rows of them may be 
counted upon the line of greatest depth ; sixteen below, and six above the lateral line. On the 
cheeks the scales are smaller than on the opercle. Rudimentary scales may be observed upon 
the caudal fin and soft portion of the dorsal and anal. 
