430 Pareioplitae, or Mailed-cheek Fishes 



ridges are all large and rough serrate. On the equally large 

 Sebastichthys levis these ridges are smooth. Both these species 

 are bright red in color. Sebastichthys rubrovinctus, called the 

 Spanish-flag, is covered with broad alternating bands of deep 

 crimson and creamy pink. It is the most handsomely colored 

 of our marine fishes and is often taken in southern California. 

 Sebastichthys elongatus is a red species with very large mouth. 

 Several other species small in size are red, with three or four 

 spots of bright pink. The commonest of these is the corsair, 



FIG. 363. Priest-fish, Sebastodes mystinus Jordan & Gilbert. Monterey, Cal. 



Sebastichthys rosaceus, plain red and golden. Another species 

 is the green and red flyfish, Sebastichthys rhodochloris . Sebas- 

 tichthys constellatus is spotted with pink and Sebastichthys chlo- 

 rosticius with green. To this group with pink spots the South 

 American and African species belong, but none of the Japa- 

 nese. Sebastodes aleutianus is a large red species common in 

 Alaska and Sebastodes ciliatus a green one. About the wharves 

 in California and northward the brown species called Sebas- 

 tichthys auriculatus is abundant. In the remaining species 

 the spinous ridges are progressively higher, though not so sharp 

 as in some of those already named. Sebastichthys maliger has 

 very high dorsal spines and a golden blotch on the back. In 

 Sebastichthys caurinus and especially Sebastichthys vexillaris 

 the spines are very high, but the coloration is different, being 

 reddish brown. Sebastichthys nebulosus is blue-black with golden 



