ON THE APPLICATION OF THE NAME TEUTHIS TO A 
GENUS OF FISHES. 
By Theodoke Gill, LL. 1), 
Two SPECIES were originally referred to the geims Teuthls by Lin- 
iijeus, one of which Wiis later referred to the genns ^Siganus or Atnpha- 
canthus, and the other to the genns Acanthurns. There has beeii much 
diversity of opinion among recent authors respecting this usage. Dr. 
Giinther has taken Teutliin for Sif/annti, and I have adoi)ted the name 
in place of Aatnthurus. Dr. Jordan has wavered between the two 
systems. Immediately after the publication of articles by Gill/ and 
Meek and Hoffiuan,- in which Tmthis was accepted instead of Acan- 
ilmrus, he adopted tlie name with the same sense.' Later he dissented 
and expressed the opinion that "the change of the name of this genus 
from Acanthnrm to Teiithis, as made by Gill and Meek, seems unnec- 
essary. The name Teuihls was based by Linna-us on T. hepatus and 
T.jdVHs. Its first restriction was to the latter species, a representative 
of tlie Teutliis of Giinther, the Si(/((nas of Forskal."^ He has adhered 
to this opinion since. ^ 1 shall now proceed to demonstrate that this 
opinion is the result of an imperfect view of the literature. 
I. 
The name Hepatus was introduced informally into ichthyology by 
Artedi in 1738 and afterwards employed with a generic diagnosis by 
Gronow (Latin, Ch-onoiuHs). Gronow, in his '^ Zoophylacium," recog- 
nized twosi)ecies: (1) Heixitns vanda fronteqiie inermihns, and (2) Ucpa- 
ins vincronerejfexo ntrinque prope eaudam ; the former is an Acanthnrid 
and the latter a Siganid or Amphacanthid. Further, the Acauthurid 
iProc. U. S. Nat. Mas., VII, pp. 275-281, 18S4. 
■^Proc. Aead. Nat. .Sci. Phila. 1881, pp. 227-231 ( 1881). 
sProc. V. S. Nat. Mus., YIII, p. 386, 1885. 
^Pioc. U. S. Nat. Mu8., IX, p. 49, 1886. 
"Proc. r. S.Nat. Mus., XI, p. 5.52, 1888; XII, p. 650, lX8!t; XIII, p. 32S, ixHO; XIV, 
p. 113, 1891, etc. 
Proci'eiliiiirsof' the ruiled States National iluscuiii, \(il. .\\'III— No. U^^2. 
179 
180 APPLICATION OF THE NAME TEUTHIS—GILL. vol.xvih. 
was described from a specimen of the West Indian A. chirurgns, which 
was recorded l)y Dr. Giinther^ in 1861 as being then in the British 
Musenm. 
ir. 
The name Teuthis was introduced in the twelfth edition of the Sys- 
tema Natnra; by Linnseus ^ as a substitute for Hejyatus, and in fact liis 
kno\\ ledge of the group so called was originally chiefly derived from 
(irouow. From misapprehension as to the position of the ventral lins, 
he referred it to the "Pisces Abdominales" between Silurns and 
Loricaria, and it must be here recalled that he had already recognized 
thiee siiecies of Acanthurids which he associated with theCh.etodons, 
viz: C. (10) nigricans, G. (12) lincafns, and C. (13) friostegus. Had it 
not been for the misapprehension, he would doubtless have referred 
his species of Teuthis also to Chatodon. Linmeus was inferior as an 
ichthyologist to both Artedi and Gronow, and the only reason for 
rejecting the earlier and adopting his later name for a genus, is because 
the binomial nomenclature was not adopted by Gronow in the work 
cited. Accepting, as we do, these principles, Ave commence with Lin- 
njvus, and first have to iiupiire what that naturalist actually meant. 
All that is published in the twelfth edition of " Systema Natura^"^ 
couceiiiing Teuthis is here rei)roduced, it being recalled that the genus 
was referred to the Pisces Abdominales. 
17(i. Teuthis. Caput autice swbtruncatiim. 
Memhr. hraiifh. radiis V. 
J)e«/('s siinplici serie, a^quales, rigidi, approximati. 
Hei'ati s. 1. T. spina utrinque caudali lecimibeute mobili. 
Brown, jam. 455. Teuthis fusca caTuleo uiteiis, aculeo siiiiplici 
litrinqne ad caudam. 
(iron, zooph. 353. Hepatus mucrone reliexo utriiiqiie propc caudaui. 
D-3iiiP.16.V.iA.JVC!... 
Seh. mus. 3, p. 104, t. 33, /. 3. Clia^todou fitriilesceus, dorso nisjro, 
Cauda u'qnali exalbido nigroque varia. 
Catesb. car. 2, p. 10, /. 1,./'. 1. Tardus rhomboides. 
Valent. hid. 3,f. 77, 383, 404. 
HahHat in Carolina, Amboiua. 
Caput marime declire. Dentes a^quales, rigidi, unica serie. I'iuna dor- 
salis radiis 2»'ii>ii^ 8 sp>inosis. Veutrales 1 spinoso. Analis 3 
spiiiosis. Ad utrumqiie lattis caudw Spina ralida. siihulata, moMlis, 
crif/ibilis, recinnheii.s, in snlco latilans. 
.lAVrs. 2. T. cauda utrinque uuitica. Crron.zooph.3o2. Hepatus cauda Irouteque 
iuerniibus. D. if P. 15. V. f A. -.V C. 
• J'nieiit. iud.S,p.3o9,f.ilO. Leerviscb. 
Hahifat ad Javam. 
Corpus macuJis longitudinalibus cd-nilescentibus. Cauda hinata. Pin- 
narum ventralinm radius primus et ultivius spinosus. 
1 Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., Ill, p. 330. 
^LinniJBUs, Syst. Nat., I, p. 507. 
•' Vol. I, p. 507. 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIOXAL MUSEUM. 181 
The first of these species is evidently the same as the second species 
of Hepatus, while the second is the first species of Hepatus of Gronow's 
system. Linn;cus did not know these species, as such, through autopsy, 
and derived his knowledge of them almost entirely from Groiiow, 
simply adding some synonyms, in several cases erroneously. 
I repeat that the genus Teuthis of Linnanis was purely the result of 
misapprehension or ignorance; and the genus being misplaced in the 
order Abdominales, its characters contrast with those of any genus of 
that order, but not with those of species referred to the Thoracici, some 
of whose representatives, retained in the genus Cha'todoti, have precisely 
the same characters, and in fact are nearly related congeners of one of 
the species of Teuthis. The clniracters selected for the generic diag- 
nosis, too, are of tli& least value and not even apiilicable in all cases, 
the only important characteristic being the dentition, and in the expres- 
sion thereof Linn;eus was more successful than Gronow, although in 
other respects much inferior. 
Although almost all of the Linnoean genera were composite and 
many of them embraced representatives of a number of distinct fam- 
ilies, the fact that the JSwedish naturalist referred two generic tyi)es to 
Teuthis has appeared to some good ichthyologists a suflicient reason to 
ignore the name for either. Thus both Kner and Klunzinger adopted 
the names Amphacanthus and Acanthurus. 
Kner remarked : ' 
Der Name Teiilhis diirfte kauiii bereclitigt soiu, obigeu Gattnngsnamen wieder zii 
vei'draugeu, da Liun6 iliu wobl fiii" t^iuige Arteu dieser, aber aucli der Gatt. Jcati- 
ihiinis beuiitzte. 
Klunzinger observed :- 
Dar'Same Jmpliacanthiis ist vorzuzieheu, da Liune unter dem Naineu Tentliis sowohl 
eineu . I )n2>h« can thus ids eiueu Acanthunis beschriebeu hat. 
111. 
In 1775 Forskal, in his "'Descriptiones Animalium [etc.] qua^ in itinere 
. orientale observavit." introduced new generic or group names for species 
severally congeneric with the species of Hepatus or Teuthis, in a some- 
what informal manner, but which, nevertheless, admits of no doubt as 
to his meaning and intent. The data maybe given in the order of the 
volume. 
First, on the reverse of the false title page (ii, but not numbered) 
succeeding the introduction and table of contents, is a list of "ISTova 
Genera," among which four " Piscium" are named, viz : 
Salaria. (Gadus3.) 
Scarus. (Scarus 11-18.) 
Siganuis. (Scarns 9-10.) 
Acantburus. (Chtetodon 88-89. ) •'• 
' The numbers after the genera refer not to the nuuiber of species in the respective 
genera, but to the serial numbers of all the fishes described. 
- Kner, Novara Exped. Fisohe, p. 20.5, 186;"). 
'Verb. k. k. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, XXI, p.T.Ol, 1871. 
182 APPLICATION OF THE NAME TEUTHIS—GILL. vol. xvm. 
Secondly, in the suoeeeding'Taun.t! Orientalis Conspectus " prefatory 
to the " Descriptiones Aninialiam'' ' the following names are to be found : 
Scarus : novum genus. 'Lmpoi^. 
9 («) rhniUdns: Djezavi ycX SUjdn. [Arabic letters.] Nov. jrenu.s: Siyanus. 
10 (b) stellatus. Gbiejehiin. [Arabic letters.] 
No corresponding mention of the name Acanthnn(.s occurs under 
Chrvtodon.'^ 
Tliirdly, on referring to the text (page 25) these species are mentioned 
in the following terms: 
Scanis novnui genus antiquo nomine S/cdpor. Character genericns: Dentium loco 
maxillie ipsie eminentes, margine deutato-crenatio, ossca'. 
9. Scarus siganus; rivnlatus; maxillis continuis, coiiiplauatis, margine serrato- 
denticulatis : denticulis approximatis, tiliformibus; a medio labio paulatim decre- 
scentibiis. 
[A detailed descriiition of the species follows.] 
Obs. Videtur genus proprium una cum sequente constituere; quum Jiabitus prorsus 
]troprius. Nomen Siyani de.sumtum ex Arab. Sidjan vel Sigian. 
10. 8carns stellatus ; ovalis fasciis anuulis ca»ruleo-pallidis, subhexagoni.s, uudi- 
que contignis. 
The name Siganus was thus (1) formally proposed as that of a new 
genus or ''novum genus"; (2) the diagnosis of the "/S'carw.s' sU/anus^^ 
was related intentionally to thegeneric characters, as will he j)erceived 
by a comparison of it with that of the succeeding, and (3) the group was 
recognized as a natural genus on account of the peculiar habit or 
appearance of the two species for which it was jiroposed. 
The "new genus" was (piite properly adopted by Cuvier, for a time 
at least. 
In connection with Chfcfodon,^' a i)roposition was made to distribute 
the S])ecies of the Linnsean genus among three subdivisions, as follows: 
Genus Loc subdivisioncm admittit: (a) Chwtodon: dentibus filiformibus, brevibus, 
numerosis, multoruui ordinum, densis, acutis, iuferioribus seusiui minoribus. P. Br. 
radiis 6. Spin;c P. A. 3. (&) Ahii-def diif: dentibus maxillaribus unius seriei, iili- 
formibus, coutigui.s, submobilibus, obtusis, deutibus faucium nullis, annulo subtus 
circa oculos, P. Br. rad. 5. Spina' P. A. 2. (c) Acantliunin : dentibus unins seriei, 
rigidis, acutis, contignis, vel simplicibus vel lobatis. Cauda in utroque latere aculeo 
uno vel pluribus; exserto et rigido; vel iiiobili et recondendo. Diversum prorsus a 
Clia'todonte genus; aliquande propriam constituens faniiliam. 
This procedure was even less formal than the introduction of the 
genus Sif/cunis, but, nevertheless, the name uicitnihurus has been very 
generally accepted as a generic name for the species of the family dis- 
tinguished by the characters attributed to it. 
It is again to be recalled that the first Linuiean species of Tex this is 
congeneric with the Araufhnri of Forskal, while the other is congeneric 
with the two Sigani of the same author. 
' Page X. ^ Pages xii, xiii. ^Page 25. 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 183 
IV. 
In 1817 Ciivier, in the tirst edition of the "Eegne Aniniiir'i adopted 
the two genera of Forsk;il witli the following naiues: 
Lcs Sidjans. (Auijihacantlnis. Scliu.) 
Les Acaiitlinres. Bl. {Thelitis. L. Ilarpiinis. Forsk.) 
If this means anything, it must be that lie would adopt the name 
"Theutis" for, or at least limit it to, the ^^Acanthurcs,-' but the meaning 
is certainly ambiguous; the restriction, however, is not. 
In lS290uvier, in the second edition of the " Regne Animal."- retained 
the same genera nnder a different guise, viz : 
Les Sidjans. {Siganus. Forsk.) Euro de Commersou : Centrogastcr <le Houttuyn; 
Aiiiph acanthus de lUocli. 
Les Acanthiires (Acanthiirus. Laccp. et 151.). Harpiirus. Forster. Vnlgairement 
Chirurgieus. 
Here the name '' Thentis^'' or " Tenthis''' is entirely ignored, but Higanus 
is accepted as the scientitic name of the genus with the limits assigned 
to it by Forskal. 
In 1822 Fleming ^admitted as genera of the fourth section '^ (d)" of 
" Scouiberidie," the genera -'140, Amphaeanlhus {Scarus siganus),-'' ^'141, 
TJientis (T. hepatus),''^ and ''142, Waseus.^^ Theuthis [TeutMs) is thus 
definitely restricted by specific mention of type to the surgeon-fishes. 
In 1832 Minding, in his " Lehrbuch der Naturgeschichte des Fisches,"* 
adopted the same two genera with the following names: 
(1) Sidian, Amphaeantlius. 
(2) Felseiitiscli, Teiifhis: ( Tec^/r eine Siipienart bei deu Gr.). 
One species was mentioned, the " Wundarzt, T. chirurgus.'''' 
In 1833 Bonaparte (then Prince of Musignauo), in the second part 
of his '^Saggio di nua Distribuzioue metodica degli Animali Verte- 
brati," gave the following genera under Teuthidida'^' 
158. Sigauus, Forsk. {Bnro, Cornm. Centrofiaster, Houtt. 
Amphacanthus, BJ.) M. Indico. 20. 
159. Tenthis L. {Acanthiirus, Lacep.; Harpurns, Forst.; 
Aspisurus, Lace'p. del.) Atl. Pac. Ira i Trop. 25. 
1. Tenthis, Nob. 
2. Acanthuriis, Nob. 
S. Scopas, Nob. 
4. Ctenodoii, Nob. 
Both names (Siganus and Teutliis) were thus again used with the 
limits still retained bv me. 
' Vol. II, p. 330. 
-Vol. II, p. 223. 
^Pliilosopliy of Zoology, p. 396. 
'Page 111. 
•■^The other genera of Tentbidida' admitted were: ItiO, Prioimrns, Lacep.: 161, 
Nasens, Commers. {Monoceros, Bl.) ; 162, Asiuurus, Ciiv. ; 163, Priodoiitichtbys, Nob. 
{Priodon, Ciiv.). 
184 APPLICATION OF THE NAME TEUTHIS—GILL. 
Y. 
Far from the ''first restriction" of Texthis being to KSigaitus (as 
claimed by Jordan), it was not till near tlie close of tlie first half of the 
nineteenth century that any proposition to that effect was i)ublished. 
In 1849 Dr. Cantor,^ in his < 'atalogue of Malayan Fishes, nsed the 
name Teutliu in place of Siganus or Amphacanthus. 
In 1854 Dr. Gray published a '' Catalogue of Fish collected and 
descril)ed by Lawrence Theodore (ironow," now in the liritish Museum, 
and this was the first publication of a raanuscrii)t of that great ichthy- 
ologist, who died in 1778. Unfortunately no attempt was made by an 
editor to coUocate the sheets in systematic order,- and hence we find 
closely allied genera often widely removed and approximated to those 
with which they have no affinity. Among those widely separated are 
Teuthis (p. 142) and Acronurus (p. 190). The former name had been sub- 
stituted by Gronow for his own Heputus, but restricted to the Sigani, 
and the latter was a new name for the Acanthuri. 
In 1861 Dr. Giiuther^ followed Cantor and Gronow in retaining the 
name Teuthis for the amphacanthoid fishes and AcfuithurKs for the sur- 
geon fishes; he also revived the name Acronurns for what are now 
known to be young of the Acanthuri, although none were known to 
Gronow himself.^ 
The example thus set by Dr. Giinther has been generally followed by 
his successors. 
VI. 
It may become known to some, that about 1840 Bonaparte recognized 
two families bearing the same names as the Giintherian — Teuthididie 
and Acanthurida^, — and it might naturally be supposed that the names 
represented the same groups defined by Giinther. Even if such were 
the case, the past nomenclature would not be affected thereby, and at 
most a change of opinion on the part of Bonaparte would have been 
manifested. Islevertheless, even such change did not really take jilace, 
and the names in question simply indicate a strange mental phase or 
confusion that existed for a short time. The status may be of suffic- 
ient interest to detail. 
1 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, XYIII, p. 1189. 
'-" Some person, evidently not the author, or one well conversant -with the subject, 
has marked the genera in the manuscript," which had never been sewed together, 
with a conse«iuent number. (Gray in Preface, pp. vi. vii.) The sequence of the 
Zoophylaciuui sliould have been adojjted. 
"Catalogue of the Acanthopterygian Fishes, III, p. 313. 
^"The name is taken from Gronow. who intended to apph' it to fishes of tliis 
family." (Giinther, III, p. 845.) 
1895. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 185 
Bouaparte's views as to the Teiithiflidffi, from time to time, are as 
follows . 
Family TJ^rTHIDID.K. 
1833. 
TcuDikVuhv, BOXAI'AKTK, Saggio Distr. jMotod. Auiiiuil \'ertel)r.. p. ;>l. 1.S33. 
1838. 
Teitilijidida', Bonaparte, N. Anual. >Sc. Nat., Auuo it, IF. ]>. 133 (Cycloidiu ), 1838. 
1840. 
Acanihurhla', Bonapakte, X. Anual. Sc. Nat., Anno 2, I\', p. 190 (Cteiioidci ;, 1810. 
Tt'iitliiiJuhr, Bonapakte, N. Anual. Sc. Nat., Auuo 2. IV, p. 271 (Cycloidei), 1840. 
1841. 
Acaniltiiridi. ISonapakte, Fauna Ital., Pesci, hit., p. [6], 
TheuflniiJidi. Bonaparte. Fauna Ital., Pesci, Int., p. [11]. 
1846. 
Teuthi/ida; Bonaparte, Cat. Metod. Pesci Europei. p. 7 (with subfamilies Auipha- 
cautliini and Teuthyini), 1846. 
1850. 
Tenlliiididd', Boxapartk, (_'(jn.sp. 8yst. Pisciuni, 1850. 
Originally Bonaparte adopted the family Theutyes of Cuvier, with 
the same limits attributed to it hy the great anatomist, but provided 
the regularly formed family name Teuthididte (1833) or, less correctly", 
Teuthydidii; (1838). 
In 1810, however, he widely separated the constituents of the old 
family in the following manner, only special characters being here 
reproduced : 
ctenoidei. 
Fauiilia 18. Acanthurid^e. Squamis ruvidis.' 
8ubfau)ilia 47. Acaiithuritii. Radii dorsales spiuosi a mollibus baud dis- 
tiucti: pinuw ventrales thoracici. 
CYCLOIDEI. 
Fauiilia 45. Teuthidid.e. ; radii spino^^i plures iu ])iuua dorsali. unus 
saltern in anali et in utraque ventrali. 
Subfamilia Tetithidini. Pinna dorsalis uuica. 
The AcanthuridiTB contaiu typical representatives of the ftimily so 
called, but the Teuthididti' do not an&wer at all to the Siganids. The 
attribute of several dorsal spines and at least a single spine in the anal 
and each ventral, as well as the single dorsal fin, are descri])tive only of 
Acanthurids, and not Siganids. The cycloid scales are the only char- 
acters distinctive of Siganids, and iu 1842 Agassiz, in the seventeenth 
' There is no adjective ruvidus in classical Latin, and it is not evident why scabris 
should not have been used as the exact e(|uivalent of what Bonaparte meant, instead 
of a latinized form of the Italian ruvido. 
186 APPLICA TIOX OF THE NA ME TE UTHIS— G IL L . vol. x viii. 
livraison of his "Poissons,"^ gave the following views respectiug the 
Teuthyes : 
I)v la J'amUle des Teuthyes. 
Cette petite fauiille. iiui n'est composeee [sicj que de ([uelques genres, se distingue 
assez facilement par ses ^cailles, d'liue petitesse extreme, repandues eu trt'S-grande 
quantity sur toute la peau. II fant en ('diminer le genre Aniplaacauthns, ({ue ses grandes 
^cailles cycloidiques et ses autres caracteres zoologi([ues obligent a placer dans une 
autre faniille. Chez le reste des Teuthyes, et notamiuent chez les Acanthures et les 
Naseus, les ecailles forment de petites escjuilles transparentes, lisses, depourvues de 
tout ornement et h^rissees, an bord post^rieur, de quel<[ues petites Opines assez 
eftil^es, qui ressemblent un pen a celles que nous avous rencontrees chez les Zanclus 
de la famille des Squamipennes. 
Perhaps it was this publijcatiou tliat again drew Bonaparte's atten- 
tion to the families, for soon afterwards he reverted to his original 
views as to the limits of the family, recombining his Teuthidid.t, and 
Acanthuridti^ in a single family, at first (18-4G) nnder the name Tenthy- 
idse, and later (1850) again resuming the name Teuthydidre. He made 
an advance, however, in the recognition of two subfamilies, Ampha- 
canthini and Teuthyini (184(1) or Teuthidina- (1850). 
VII. 
Teiithi.s is one of the many names intiicted on scientific nomenclature 
by Linnteus as a result of his proclivity to take classical names and 
])ervert tlieni to the designation of forms which are not related to and 
possess no intimate characters or analogies in common with the species 
to which they were originally applied. The Teuthis {Tsuf){::) of the 
Greeks was a squid (Loliginid). but there was also a gregarious fish 
mentioned once by Aristotle- as the Teutlios {Tsutio:;) and respecting 
which nothing more is known.' It may be that Linnaeus intended to 
take the latter name, but in fact he took the former, and, therefore, as 
long as the i»rescnt code of nomenclature is retained, the surgeon-fishes, 
belonging to a family entirely unknown to the Greeks, must bear a 
name originally given to squids.^ The name Te?^f/ios, however, would 
only have the advantage in that it belonged to a fish, and its exact per- 
tinence is unknown. 
Teuthis itself has not been retained unimjiaired. It was transformed 
into Theuthis and Theutis by Cuvier (1798 and 1817), and gave rise to 
the family name Theuties,^ Teuthyei,^ Teuthyen'^ and Teuthyw,^ of Agassiz. 
'Vol. I, p. 88. 
-Vol. IX, Chap. 3. 
•''It is quite possible that the Tfvflof may hare been placed among the true fishes 
inadvertently, ov that some error of a copyist has crept in. Teuiliis and Teuthos are 
both used by Aristotle as names of different kinds of squids. 
■•The case is just as bad, if not worse, if Teuthis is used for the Sigauids. 
■'"' Theuties, Agassiz, Poiss. Foss., IV, pp. xiii, 212. 
" Tciithijci, Agassiz, Poiss. Foss., IV, p. 41. 
' Teuthyes, Agassiz, Poiss. Foss., I, 88; IV, p. 206. 
8 Teuthya-, Agassiz, Ren. Brit. Assn. Adv. 8ci., 1844, p. 288. 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 187 
luasiiHU'li as the oblique cases take -id {TsoOiq^ -cdix;), tho proper form 
of the tauiily name is Tenthirlida'. 
VIIT. 
The foregoing citations (which might have been mucli increased) are 
sutticient to demonstrate that Teuthis sliould be used in i)iace of Acan- 
tliurus and not of Sif/anus. From whatever point of view we look, we 
are forced to this conclusion. 
1. The first species of Teuthis was an Acanthurid. 
L*. The genus Si<j((iii(s always appeared before Acanthurus, as well 
in the list of new general and the table of contents, as in the descrip- 
tive portion of Forskal's Avork. 
o. The genus Teuthis was first reduced by elimination to an Acan- 
tliurid. 
4. The name Teuthis was first i)ositively restricted to Acanthurids. 
The conclusions thus formulated may be supplemented by a snmmary 
of the synonymy and diagnosis of the genus Teuthis as now limited. 
Genus TEUTHIS. 
<^nepatus, Groxow, Zoopliylacium, p. 113, 1763. 
<^Teiithis, LiNNK, Systenia Natnnp, 12th e<l., I. p. 507, 176G. 
<^Avaiitlturus. Forskal, Descriptiones Auimaliiim, p. 25, 1775 (section of (lutfodonf 
Linn.). 
<^II(trju(nix, FoKSTKU in Linna4 Syst. Nat., etl. Gmelin, I, p. 1269?, 1788. 
<^Acavtl(iirHs, Bloch, Systenia Iclithyologia', ed. Schneider, p. 211, 1801. 
xAspisurus, IjAckpkde, Hist. Niit. des Poissons, IV, p. 556, 1802. 
<^Les Theiithies (TheutMs), (Juvikr, Tab. El. Hist. Nat., an. 6, p. 371 (1798). 
<^Les Acanth ures Bi.. (Theutis, h.; Harpurus, Forsk.), ("rviER, Rcgne Animal, 
II. ].. 330, 1817. 
<77(e)( ///,■«, Fleming, Phil. Zool., p. 396, 1822. 
<C_Les Acatitlntriis. LACKvkDK et Uloch; Cuvier, Kogne Animal. 2d ed., II, p. 223, 
1829. 
<^Teitih\s, UoNAPARTE, Giorn. Accad. di Scienze, LII (Saygio Distrib. .Metod. 
Animali Vertebr. a Sangae Freddo), p. 34, 1833. 
?f.J«fH//Nn(/s, PioxARARTE, Giorn. Accad. di Scienze, LII(Saggio Di.strib. Metod. 
Animali Vertebr. a Sangue Freddo), p. 34, 1833. (Subgenus of I'cnthin without 
diagnosis or type.) 
<^Teuthis, Minding, Lehrb. Natnrg. Fische, p. Ill, 1832. 
y-Acantlmrtis, Swainson, Nat. Hist, and Class. Fishes, etc., II, pp. 255, 1839. 
yTeidhys, Swainson, Nat. Hist, and Class. Fishes, etc., II, pp. 255, 1839. 
XCte)>o(ton, Swainson, Nat. Hist, and Class. Fishes, etc., II, pp. 255, 1839. 
=Acronuri(s, Ghonow, Cat. af fish collected and described, p. 142, 1854. 
=Acanthunis j> 1, Gi'NTHER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., Ill, pp. 325, 327, 1861. 
=^Acyoinn-iis, Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., Ill, ]k 345 (young). 
<^Bhomhoii(les, Bleeker. 
<^Acanthuru8, Kner, Novara Fxped., Fische. p]). 210. 212 (c\c ludcs Scopas and 
Acronnrns). 
=Acant]iunis A. Rhombolides, Day, Fishes of India, I, p. 202, 1876. 
<^Acanfhurits, Gunther, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., (4), VIII, p. 320, 1871 (includ- 
ing Acronurus and Keris as pro))ab'lo young). 
<C_Acai)thuru>i, GCntiier, Jouni. Mus. Godeffr., 1\, p. 106, 1875. 
=Teuthis, Gill, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., VII, p. 278, 1884. 
188 
APPLICATION OF THE NAME TEUTHIS—GILL. 
Diagnosis. — Teuthidicls with a pair of an trorse movable caudal spiues, 
strong- fixed teeth, o-rayed centrals, and generally 9 (rarely 7 or 8) 
dorsal spines. 
Ty2)e. — T. hepatits, hiNN ^li-Uii — AcanthiirHs chirnrgus, Blooh, etc. 
The forms actnally belonging to the genus Teuthis as here under- 
stood are the followino-: 
I'reseut names. 
Names of Giintlier iindtir Acantlmnia. 
Teitthis triostega Acanthxmis tiiostegus, I.iiniii 
T. guttata A. guttatus, Forst. 
T. hepatus A. chirurgus, Bloch. 
T. matoides \ A. matoides, U. & V. 
T. uigivfuncus A. nigrofuscus, Forsk., 1775. 
T. bipunctatuis - A. hipunctatus, Gtlir., 1861. 
T.nigroris A. nigros, (xthr., 1861. 
3'. doreensis A. dorcensiK, C. & V. 
T. cliry.soioma A. eltn/sonoma, Bikr. 
T. rubroiivnctata A . ruhropiinctattis, Eiipp. 
T. maiginata A. inarginattis, C. & V. 
T. lineata -1. Uiieatus (Liiin.). 
T. striata i A. striatus, (). & G. 
T.sohal I A. sdhal, Forsk. 
1\ undulata ! A. undidatjis, C. & V. 
T. dussumieri | A. diissumieH, C. & V . 
T.grammoiMla ' A. grammoptihts, Blkr. . 
T. caendea A. cwrule^m, Bl. «fc Sclin. 
T. lineolata A. lineolatus, C. ifc V. 
T. olivaeea \ A. olicacevg, Bl. & Sclin. 
T. pyrofcnis - \ A. pyrofcrus, Kittlitz. 
T. tennentii. 
T. gah in. 
T.mnnini/er 
T. glaucopareius . 
T. cclcbicus 
T. fuscvs 
T. loicd.sternon.. 
T. acliilles 
T. triangulus [A. triangulus, C. & V. 
T. fiate'rculus A. fratcrndui, C. «fe V. 
T.bahianus A. bahianus, Castelnau, 1855. 
A. tennentii, Gtlir. 
A. gahin, Forsk. 
A. nvmmi/er, C. & V 
A. glaucopareius, C. iV \ ■ 
A. celehicus, Bleek. 
A.fusctis, Steiiid. 
A. leucosternon, Benii. 
A. achilleg, Shaw. 
SPECIES ADDED SINCE 1861. 
Tnttlns aterrima 1 Acanthurus aterrimus, Gthr., 1871. 
7'. polgzona ' I>li<i)iilioti<h-s j)olyzona, Blkr., 1874. 
T. virgata Acantlnirus virgatus, V. & S., 1875. 
T. ccerulea Acruii urua ccerideatus, Boey, 1875. 
T. bahiamis j Acronurus nigriculus, Poe.\', 1875. 
T. aurolineata ] Acanthurris aurolineatus, bay, 1876. 
T. munrovioi i A. inunrovice, Steind., 1876. 
T. plagiatn | A. idagiatus, Peters, 1876. 
j Acronurus formosus, Cast., 1873. 
2'. blvchii Acanthurus bloeJni, C. & V. (formerly 
matoides, C. & V.), (Ulir., 1875. 
T. zebra \ A. zebra,T)ii Vis, 1884. 
T. crestonis j I. crestonis, Jordan it Starks, 1895.' 
* The Teuthis crestonis has been described by Jordan and Starks in a memoir on the Fishes of Sina- 
loa received .jnst before the revised proof of the present communication. It appears therefrom that 
Dr. Jordan has reverted to the use of Teuthis in the sense here defended, as indeed he had previously 
informed me by letter he would do. 
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 
189 
The following forms liave been connected with the name Teuthis,Yiz: 
Former names. 
Teutkis hepatus, L., 1758 
T. jdvus, L., 1758 
T. 'aiLSfralis. Gray, 1826 
T. ciiiicateitatus (C. & V.), Cantor, 1850. 
T. dorsalis (C. & V.), Cantor, 1850 
T. brevirostris, Gron., 1854 
T. tubulosa, Grou., 1854 
(XameK of Gunther, 1S61.) 
Names adopted. 
Teuthis hepatijg. 
^iganusjaviif!. 
Teuthis trinsfeijus. 
Si(/anus coucnteiiahis. 
>S. dorsali.D. 
S. albdVUDctatiix. 
S. vulpinus. 
javiis (L.) I -S'. 
raiialiculata (Park) i S. 
cdiicateiiafa (C. iS: V.) ■ S. 
ciiralUiiaiV. &V.) I i>. 
rt'i iniciilata (C. & V.) S. 
laluiriii thodi's (Bleek.) ■ ,S'. 
M(/. ,/■(('. A V.) .S'. 
/,(« rq<i iitilera(C. S:,y.) -V. 
til III hi nil .V (C. ifc Y.) /S', 
dui-saiin{C &V.) Cantor ^ iV 
rami II (Bl. &Sclin.) Gllir '. 
aUnrpiutctata (Sclil.) 
.sti-iolata, Gtlir 
Iiexai/onata (Bleek.) 
ni'tfata (Bl.) 
xtMata ( Forsk.) 
Dotnstiftii (Kicbardson) 
fiiwcsceifi (Hont.) 
liirida (Kiipi).) 
nebidusa (Bl. \- Si-lin.) 
argcriti'a (Q. &G.) 
marmorata (Q. & G.) 
Hiieata (C. & V.) I *V. 
,si'(/«?i Of (Forsk.) 1 (V. 
tetrazona (Bleek.) 
diAiata (Cuv.) 
piiella (Schleg.) 
virgata (C. & V.) 
imlpina (S. & M.) 
javus. 
canaliculatu\. 
concateiiatus-. 
coralliiiii:;. 
vermieulatux. 
labyiint/wdeii. 
xutor. 
margaritifenis 
tui/ii/rons. 
donsalii: 
oramin. 
albiipunctatvs. 
strioliitus. 
Iiexaijiinatiis. 
guttatim. 
stellatiig. 
notostictvi'. 
fusccscen.f. 
luridus. 
jninctatuti .' 
argenteus. 
inarinoratUK. 
lincatits. 
sigan . 
tctvazonn. 
doliatiis. 
puella. 
virgatus. 
vul2nnits. 
SPECIES ADDED SINCE 1861. 
Teuthis meftensii ? (C. & V.) Kner, 1865 Siganus mertensii ? 
r. iiliiiosticta, Kner, 1 808 ,V. oligostictus. 
r. riistrata, (C. &V.)Gthr., 1874 ' S. rostratm: 
J', studeri, Peters, 1876 ,S'. studeri. 
T. gibbosiis. De Vis, 1884 j ,S'. gibbosus. 
T. tetithopHt!, De Vis. 1884 1 .V. teuthopnis. 
T.fiava, De Vis, 1884 '\ S. Jfavus. 
T. vitianus, Sauvage, 1886 jS'. vitianus. 
T. abhortani, (C. & V.) Sauvage, 1891 j ,S'. abhortani.