SPECIES NAME: Lutjanus purpureus Poey, 1867

DENTITION:

Summary:

The teeth on the jaws are sharp,conical, and arranged in several rows. The outer teeth in each jaw larger than the inner teeth, and there are 2 to 4 stronger teeth or canines in the front of the upper jaw. The anterior part of the roof of the mouth (the vomer) bears a patch of small villiform teeth, which are arranged in a V-shaped or crescentic patch, with a relatively short medial posterior extension. Villiform teeth also present on the palatines, and usually one or more patches of teeth are present on the tongue in the adult. There are no molar teeth, no teeth on pterygoids, and none on the ectopterygoids.

Literature:

Reference to Lutjanus purpureus Poey, 1867: Allen 1985: Page 51 (key) - "Vomerine tooth patch triangular or anchor-shaped, with a medial posterior extension...." Page 110 (text) - "...vomerine tooth patch V-shaped or crescentic, with a relatively short medial posterior extension."

Reference to genus Lutjanus: Jordan and Evermann 1898: Page 1247 (as genus Neomaenis Girard, 1859) - "...the jaws with bands of villiform teeth, besides which is usually an outer series of larger teeth in each jaw, and 2 to 4 stronger teeth or canines in front of upper jaw; vomer with villiform teeth; villiform teeth on the palatines; usually one or more patches of teeth on the tongue in the adult; no molar teeth; no teeth on pterygoids..." Allen 1985: Page 13 (key) - "Anterior part of roof of mouth (vomer) with a patch of small teeth..., usually crescentic, V-shaped, triangular, anchor-shaped, or diamond-shaped..." "Teeth in jaws more elongate, villiform to caniniform; vomerine teeth numerous and villiform..." Page 14 (key) - "...ectopterygoid bones ...toothless..." "...some fang-like canines usually present at front of jaws..." Page 33 (text) - "...conical teeth in jaws arranged in one or more rows, with an outer series of canine teeth, some of which, particularly those at front of jaws, are generally enlarged and fang-like; vomerine tooth patch V-shaped or crescentic to triangular, with or without a medial posterior extension, or diamond-shaped..."

Reference to subfamily Lutjaninae: Allen 1985: Page 3 (text) - "...teeth present on the vomer..."

Reference to family Lutjanidae: Boschung et al. 1983: Page 603 (text) - "The teeth are conical and sharp, and never molarlike, and there are teeth in the roof of the mouth." Eschmeyer and Herald 1983: Page 215 (text) - "Jaw teeth sharp, conical, usually in few rows; no molars." Masuda et al., ed. 1991: Page 166 (text) - "...canines on anterior part of both jaws..." Robins and Ray 1986: Page 167 (text) - "...1-2 enlarged canines near front of jaws on either side..." Plate 31 (caption) - "2 large canines at front of upper jaw." Moyle and Cech 1988: Page 293 (text) - "The mouth is protractile and equipped with many teeth, usually including some large canine teeth."