FISHES-SPHYRAENIDAE-SPHYRAENA ARGENTEA. 
39 
This genus is distinguished from Paralepis by the protrusion of the lower jaw beyond the 
upper, the more advanced position of both dorsal fins, and hence of the ventrals. In Paralepis 
the second dorsal being rather small, composed of inconspicuous rays. 
SPHYRAENA ARGENTEA, Grd. 
Plate XIV. 
Spec. Char. —Head constituting a little more than the fourth of total length. Origin of anal under middle of second 
dorsal. Origin of ventrals a little in advance of middle of second dorsal. Bluish black above, whitish on the sides, 
yellowish beneath. Lateral line dark. Argentine reflect all over. 
Syn. —Sphyraena argentea, Grd. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. VII, 1854, 144. 
The body is stoutish, thickest upon the middle of its length and somewhat compressed, the 
depth being about one-tliird more than the thickness. The head, constituting a little more 
than the fourth of the entire length, which, in the specimen figured and described, is thirty-five 
inches. The snout is conical and pointed, and the mouth of moderate size; the posterior 
extremity of the maxillary leaves a distance of three-fourths of an inch between it and a vertical 
line made to pass in advance of the anterior rim of the orbit. The premaxillary teeth are very 
small; those on the dentary (lower jaw) are moderately developed; on the vomer and palatines 
they are conspicuous and strong. The eye is sub-elliptical in shape and of medium development; 
its anterior rim is a little nearer to the tip of the lower jaw than the posterior edge of the 
opercular apparatus. The posterior margin of the first dorsal fin is nearly equidistant between 
the extremity of the lower jaw and the base of the central rays of the caudal. It is higher than 
long, and composed of five spiny rays, the posterior one of which being the smallest and the 
second the highest. The second dorsal is composed of eleven soft rays, the anterior being quite 
small; its upper margin is concave; its anterior margin more than twice the height of the pos¬ 
terior, and a little higher than the length of its base. The caudal is deeply forked, composed 
of eighteen strongly developed rays, and a few rudimentary ones exteriorly to each lobe. The 
anal has the shape and structure of the second dorsal; its origin is situated opposite the middle 
of the fin just mentioned. The insertion of the ventrals is about opposite the middle of the first 
dorsal, mayhap somewhat in advance. Their external spine is strong and acerated. The pec¬ 
torals are somewhat longer than the ventrals. 
Br. VII: VII; D V, 11; A 10; C 4, 1, 8, 8, 1, 3; V I, 5; P 13. 
The scales are rather small, especially on the dorsal region ; they are largest in the lateral 
line. Their shape is quite irregular, being higher than long on the back and belly, and longer 
than high on the lateral line, which is straight. The opercular apparatus and the temporal 
region are densely covered with scales. The upper surface of the head is smooth. The color of 
the upper region of the head and the body above th'e lateral line is bluish-black, whitish on 
the sides and yellowish on the abdomen. The scales exhibit an argentine reflection, which 
extends to the sides of the head and lower jaw. The lateral line is blackish. The interradial 
membrane of the dorsal, caudal, anal, and pectorals, is yellowish, whilst the rays themselves are 
greyish. The ventrals exhibit a uniform yellowish hue. 
References to the figures .—Plate XIV, fig. 1, represents the profile of Sphyraena argentea, 
natural size. Fig. 2, a scale from the dorsal region. Fig. 3, a scale from the lateral line. 
Fig. 4, a scale from the abdominal region. 
