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Red Grouper; Cherna Americana — Part 2
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The other species (A. multiguttatus) is very close to A. afer, from which it differs in the more slender head, more prominent chin, and the colouration, which is dark olive-brown, the body and head profusely covered with round spots of darker brown about half size of pupil; spots on posterior part of body confluent in horizontal streaks; breast and front of head with few spots; a very faint mustache above maxillary; dorsal and caudal dusky-olive, nearly plain; anal with 2 dusky cross-bands; pectoral yellowish, with 5 dusky cross-bands, its edge pale; ventrals dusky.
This species reaches 8 inches in length and is rather common on our Pacific coast from Mazatlan to Panama.
The genus Dermatolepis resembles Epinephelus, but it has the body shorter and deeper, the head small and much compressed, the interorbital narrow, the soft dorsal very long, the anal short, and the scales all cycloid, small, and embedded.
Four species are known, 3 of which occur in our waters. None of them is of much value as food. The accompanying illustration of our most interesting species, D. zanclus, will serve to indicate the character of this group. This species reaches 2 feet in length, and is known only from Key West.
GENUS MYCTEROPERCA GILL
Cranium broad and transversely concave between the eyes, its lateral crests very strong, nearly parallel with the supraoccipital crest, and extending much farther forward than the latter; lower jaw strongly projecting; anal fin long, usually with 11 or 12 rays; caudal lunate; spines of fins slender, none much elevated; scales small, mostly cycloid, those of the lateral line simple; pyloric coeca few. From Epinephelus this genus may be distinguished by its longer anal, larger mouth, and more slender body.
a. Nostrils subequal, well separated
b. Gill-rakers comparatively few and short, 8 to 20 below the angle.
c. Anal fin III, 9 to 11, high and falcate...... boulengeri
cc. Anal fin III, 11 or 12, long.
d. Anal fin not angulated, its outline more or less evenly rounded.
e. Angle of preopercle not salient, its teeth scarcely enlarged; gill-rakers x+8 to 10.
f. Gill-rakers very few and short, X+8 developed; caudal lunate.
g. General colour gray, with red and black markings.......venenosa
gg. General colour scarlet, with red and black markings........apua
ff. Gill-rakers rather slender, about X+10; caudal subtruncate.
h. Scales not very small, about 110.
i. Dark blotches on body rather large, often quadrate........bonaci
ii. Dark spots on body very small, close-set.........xanthosticta
hh. Scales smaller, about 120 to 140.........jordani
ee. Angle of preopercle more or less salient, its teeth somewhat enlarged; gill-rakers more numerous, X+12 to 14.
j. Scales very small, about 140; caudal distinctly lunate. microlepis
jj. Scales somewhat larger, about 120; caudal little concave. interstitialis
jjj. Scales still larger, about 110; caudal deeply lunate. dimidiata
dd. Anal fin angulated, its middle rays much exserted, its posterior margin concave . . . . . xenarcha
bb. Gill-rakers close-set, very long and slender, 25 to 35 below the angle.........rubra
aa. Nostrils very close together, the posterior decidedly larger than the anterior.
k. Gill-rakers very numerous, long and slender, about 24 below the angle....... pardalis
kk. Gill-rakers fewer and moderate, 6 to 18 below the angle.
l. Second dorsal spine highest, its length more than 1/3 that of head.
m. Colour, brown, with grayish reticulations and brown spots. olfax
mm. Colour, chiefly red.....ruberrima
ll. Second dorsal spine low, shorter than third, the third and fourth highest.
n. Margin of anal fin posteriorly concave, its middle rays much exserted.
o. Gill-rakers rather numerous, 17 to 20 below angle of arch.
p. Outer rays of caudal scarcely produced, not 2/3 length of head. rosacea
pp. Outer rays of caudal much produced, more than 2/3 length of head.
q. Upper canines directed strongly forward, the lower backward; colouration obscure........falcata
qq. Upper canines nearly vertical; colouration brighter.........phenax
oo. Gill-rakers few, 8 below angle........venadorum
nn. Margin of anal fin concave posteriorly, the outline of the fin rounded or slightly angular.
r. Gill-rakers rather few, x+12; body without dark cross-bars.
s. Scales very small, about 20-140-37; caudal not deeply lunate, eye small..... bowersi
ss. Scales larger, about 90 to 100 in lateral line; caudal deeply lunate; eye larger........calliura
rr. Gill-rakers very few, short and thick, about x+6; body with light and dark cross-bars.
t. Ground colour dark olive........tigris
tt. Ground colour bright red.....camelopardalis
The species of this genus are very numerous and most of them very closely related. While all are excellent for food, the scarcity of some and the distance of others from a market leave but few that are of great importance as food-fishes. So many of the species are so closely related that detailed descriptions hardly seem necessary. The key given above will usually be found sufficient for the identification of any of the known species.