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Pork-fish; Sisi — Part 2
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The remaining species, P. ramosus, is found in the West Indies and south to Brazil. In Porto Rico it is known as ronco blanco, and ascends the streams well toward the interior of the island, specimens having been obtained by us in the Rio Loiza near Caguas more than 25 miles from the coast. This species is said by the native fishermen to utter the grunting noise characteristic of the family. Though of small size, it is nevertheless a good food-fish, and is highly valued.
GENUS ORTHOPRISTIS GIRARD
The Pigfishes
This genus differs from Pomadasis in the long anal fin, the smaller scales, and the less development of the dorsal spines. Nearly all the species are American, and some of them are of food-value.
Orthopristis forbesi is known only from Albemarle Island, one of the Galapagos group. Colour in spirits, dark brown above, with bluish reflections, fins dusky except pectorals; caudal edged with light; membrane of opercle dark; preopercle with some dark spots. The known specimens are each about a foot long.
O. reddingi is known only from La Paz, Gulf of California. Colour, pearly gray, darker above; each scale of back and side with a bright bronze spot behind its centre, these forming nearly continuous streaks along the rows of scales, running upward and backward anteriorly and nearly horizontally on side, where they are more or less interrupted or transposed; head plain gray; dorsal with some streaks; ventrals somewhat dusky.
O. chalceus occurs on the coast of tropical America, from the Gulf of California to the Galapagos Islands, and is rather common, especially at Cape San Lucas and Mazatlan. It reaches 18 inches in length, and is a good food-fish. Colour, paler than in related species; pale chalky bluish streaks along the edges of the rows of scales; a pale streak below base of dorsal; fins rather pale, the soft dorsal mottled with darker. The young have broad diffuse dusky cross-bands on the side.
O. poeyi is a rare species known only from Havana. It is close to O. chrysopterus, but the body is more slender, and the scales are rather larger.
O. cantharinus is known only from the Galapagos Islands. It reaches a foot in length, and is apparently close to O. chrysopterus. Colour, brownish gray above, soiled silvery below; upper parts with 8 diffuse cross-bands, as wide as the interspaces extending to below middle of side; membrane of opercle dark; some dark streaks following rows of scales; dorsal with some dull orange and some pale round spots.