Mugil liza, _Cuv. et Val._ Hist. des Poiss. tom. xi. p. 61.
FORM.—Elongated: the depth contained about five and a half times in
the entire length: the head exactly five times: height of the head
at the nape two-thirds its own length. Mouth chevron-formed, with a
tubercle at the extremity of the lower jaw: lips thin. Some
extremely minute teeth in the jaws, but none on the palate or
tongue. Suborbital obliquely truncated at the posterior angle, but
not dilated towards the extremity; the lower or anterior margin
straight, and scarcely if at all denticulated: the maxillary
slender, not longer than the suborbital, and concealed beneath it
when the mouth is closed. The eye has an adipose veil covering a
large portion of the iris: diameter of the orbit one-fourth the
length of the head: distance from the eye to the end of the snout,
equalling only three-fourths of the diameter. Orifices of the
nostrils widely separate. Number of scales in a longitudinal row
about thirty-five; perhaps one or two more: in the depth about
twelve. Fourth dorsal spine very weak. A large triangular scale
above the pectorals; the same also above the ventrals; this last,
which is the longer of the two, equalling one-fourth the length of
the fin.
D. 4—1/8; A. 3/8; C. 14, &c. P. 16; V. 1/5.
Length 11 inches 3 lines.
COLOUR.—“Back coloured like Labrador felspar: iris coppery.”—D. The
dried specimen shows traces of about twelve longitudinal lines
similar to those of many other species.
_A second specimen_ exactly resembles the above, except in being
smaller, measuring barely eight inches, and in shewing rather more
trace of denticulations on the suborbital.
Habitat, Bahia Blanca and Monte Video.
This species, which has the general characters of the _M. Cephalus_ of
the European seas, is probably the _M. liza_ of Cuvier and Valenciennes;
but the specimens are in a bad state of preservation, and some of the
characters cannot be accurately ascertained. The depth of the body
appears to have been rather greater than what is mentioned in the
“Histoire des Poissons:” there is also some appearance of small scales
on the second dorsal and anal, which, according to Cuvier and
Valenciennes, is the distinguishing characteristic of their next
species, the _M. curema_; but it will not agree with this last in its
other details.
The larger of the above specimens was taken at Bahia Blanca, where Mr.
Darwin’s notes state that it is plentiful; the smaller one at Monte
Video.