Corcobado

Vomer gabonensis Guichenot

Images coming soon.

The corcobado is a fish that was but little known until the recent investigations by the U. S. Fish Commission in Porto Rico, when numerous specimens were obtained. It is now known from Brazil, San Domingo, Jamaica, and Porto Rico; also from the west coast of Africa. It attains a length of 8 or 9 inches, and is a good food-fish. From V. setipinnis, which it resembles, it may be distinguished by the much deeper body, larger eye, greater elevation of the occipital region, and the more nearly vertical anterior profile. The young of the two species resemble each other more closely. At a length of 4 inches the difference in relation of depth to length becomes apparent, but under that size the present species is distinguished by its larger eye.

Body ovate, scarcely longer than deep, very greatly compressed; occipital region greatly elevated, making height of body greatest at the eyes; anterior profile nearly vertical from occiput to eye, opposite which it becomes concave; snout protruding. Colour, rich silvery, with an iridescence of steel-blue above and pink below, with a light golden wash below.

GENUS SELENE LACEPEDE

The Silvery Moon-fishes

This genus is very close to Vomer, from which it differs in the entire absence of scutes on the lateral line. All the species are found in tropical seas, only 2 coming within our limits. The first of these is the Pacific moon-fish (S. aerstedii) which is found on the Mexican coast from Mazatlan to Panama. It reaches 15 inches in length, and possesses some food-value. From our Atlantic species it may be distinguished by its smaller fins, the dorsal having 18 and the anal but 15 soft rays.