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Pargo de Raizero — Part 2
Images coming soon.
In our waters there is but the single species, A. dentatus, the arnillo of the Havana fishermen. It is known only from the West Indies, and is not uncommon in the Havana market. It reaches a foot in length, and is a very beautiful little fish, easily distinguished by the generic characters given above. In life this species is dusky-violet above, and on sides paler; inside of mouth and all the fins similar in colour, the anal and ventrals with blackish tips; soft dorsal with some olive shades, the edge grayish.
GENUS ETELIS CUVIER & VALENCIENNES
In this genus the dorsal fin is nearly or quite divided into 2 fins by a deep notch, the eye very large, and the preorbital very narrow. It is very closely related to Aprion, the skull in the two being almost identical.
There are only two American species, and but one of these of any importance. E. oculatus, known in Porto Rico as cachucho, occurs in the West Indies and about Madeira, but is not yet known from Florida or elsewhere on the mainland. It is a species which prefers rather deep water and rocky bottom. It is a beautiful species, reaching a length of 2 to 3 feet, and is an excellent food-fish.
Colour in life, nearly everywhere bright red; pale in spirits, the red nowhere persisting.
GENUS VERILUS POEY
This genus is technically close to Etelis, although the single known species is quite different in appearance from Etelis oculatus. The cavernous character of the skull is the most striking feature, which, with the nearly divided dorsal, readily distinguishes it.
The only known species is the escolar chino (V. sordidus) of the Havana market. It is a rather deep-water species, known only from the coasts of Cuba.
Colour, dusky-gray, slightly paler below; tips of spinous dorsal and ventrals jet-black, the fins otherwise coloured as the body; posterior edge of caudal dusky; lining of gill-cavity, peritoneum, and posterior part of mouth jet-black.