36 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [1889. 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF ORTHOPRISTIS FROM THE 



GALAPAGOS ISLANDS. 



BY DAVID S. JORDAN AND BERT FESLER. 



Orthopristis lethopristis. Sp. now 



Head S\ in length to base of caudal ; depth 3 ; D. XII, 14; A. 

 Ill, 11; scales 8-65 ca 15; length of type 15 inches. Maxillary 3 

 in head ; eye 4| ; preorbital as broad as eye; snout 2| in head ; pec- 

 toral Ito ; 4th dorsal spine 2| ; 2nd anal spine 6.J ; first soft ray of 

 anal 31 ; base soft dorsal 1§ times in base of spinous dorsal. 



Type, No. 26,947, Museum of Comparative Zoology. From the 

 Galapagos Islands. 



Body rather elongate in form, intermediate between that of 

 0. brevipinnis and that of 0. chalceus ; back elevated and com- 

 pressed, especially anteriorly, the profile regularly rounded. Snout 

 long, moderately sharp. Mouth larger than in any other Orthopristis, 

 the maxillary reaching to opposite front of eye. Eye moderate. 

 Anterior nostrils large. Preojiercle entire, the border scarcely 

 crenulate, no projecting seme of any sort. Lips thick ; teeth small, 

 the outer above longer, slender and close-set. Gill rakers x -(- 14, 

 of moderate length, a little shorter than pupil. 



Pectoral falcate, rather long. Dorsal low, rather sharply notched, 

 the spines low and slender, the soft rays low, highest toward 

 the front. Anal long and rather low, with straight, free border, the 

 small spines graduated, the third scarcely half height of first ray. 

 Caudal peduncle long. Caudal deeply forked. Some series of 

 scales on soft dorsal and anal, a row 7 close behind each ray, much as 

 in 0. brevipinnis. 



Color in spirits dark gray, not silvery ; center of each scale dark, 

 these spots forming continuous streaks along the rows of scales on 

 back and sides much as in Hcemvlon parra, but the scales are smaller 

 and the spots fully continuous ; the stripes above are straight or 

 gently curved, not wavy; above lateral line they run upward and 

 backward at an angle which grows less posteriorly, those on caudal 

 peduncle being horizontal ; those below lateral line rather less dis- 

 tinct but straight and horizontal ; fins rather dark ; opercular edge, 

 membrane and axil dusky. 



