Smaris porosus. RICHARDSON.
CH. SPEC. Smaris rostro porosissimo; fascia obscura e rostro per oculum recte ad caudam tracta; fascia altera in summo dorso.
RADII. B. 6; D. 10 : 9; A. 3 : 7; C. 15 5/5; V. 1 : 5.
FISHES. PLATE 3.
FISHES. PLATE 3.
Smaris porosus.
Drawn on Stone by W. Mitchell. Hullmandel & Walton Lithographers.
This Smaris has fewer dorsal rays than any species described in the Histoire des Poissons, and a shorter body than the Mediterranean vulgaris. Its shape is fusiform, the greatest height, which is at the ventrals, and which exceeds twice the thickness, being contained exactly four times in the total length, caudal included. The thickness at the gill cover is greater than that of the body, which lessens very gradually to the end of the tail. The snout is transversely obtuse, but is rather acute in profile. A cross section of the body at the ventrals is ovate, approaching to an oval, the obtuse end being upwards. In profile the curve of the belly is rather greater than that of the back, and the face slopes downwards to the mouth, nearly in a straight line.
The head forms rather less than a quarter of the whole length. The eye is large, and approaches near the profile without trenching on it. The mouth is scarcely cleft so far back as the nostrils. The intermaxillaries are moderately protractile, and curve a little downwards.