GILBERT AND STARKS — FISHES OF PANAMA BAY 43 



dorsal, and tapers to half or less than half its greatest width on caudal peduncle, where it frequently 

 disappears in the young. In larger specimens the ventral edge of this band is frequently ill-defined 

 anteriorly. Top of head with widely spaced black specks. A dark vertebral streak, more or less of 

 which often consists of two narrow lines. Tips of caudal lobes often blackish; fins otherwise unmarked. 

 Differing from closely allied species in the following characters: From A. hicida, in the much 

 longer head, more compressed body, well defined lateral stripe, and smaller eye; from A. coynprcssa, in 

 the longer head and wider lateral band; ixoxw A. panaincnsis -axxA A. miiiideo/a, in the much more numer- 

 ous gill rakers, and the more anterior position of the dorsal relatively to the anal, the origin of the anal 

 being under the middle of the dorsal, while in A. pananiaisis the origin of the two fins lie in the 

 same vertical. 



83. Anchovia naso {Gilbert d; Pierson). 



Stolcphorus naso Gilbert & Pierson (Jordan & Evermann, 1898, p. 2813). 



Head 3.3-3.5 in length; depth 4. 7-5.8; eye 4.5-5 in head. Anal 22-24; dorsal 14 or 15; 

 lateral line about 35. 



Dorsal and ventral outlines weakly arched; body slender, compressed, its greatest depth 1.5 in 

 head; belly carinated in front of ventrals, and sometimes' behind them in larger specimens. Head long 

 and slender, its greatest width 1.5 to 1.7 in its length, the lower profile much more oblique than the 

 upper. Snout long, compressed, bluntly rounded, its length exceeding the small eye. Cheek with 

 a very acute posterior angle. Opercle narrow, oblique. !\hi.\illary rather bluntly pointed, failing to 

 reach gill-opening by about one-half diameter of pupil. Teeth on the ma.xillary quite prominent and 

 directed forward. Gill-rakers short, i7-}-20 in number; the longest \\ in eye. Scales large, thin, 

 deciduous, only a few scattering ones remaining on our specimens. Dorsal fin inserted midway between 

 front or middle of orbit and base of median caudal rays. Origin of anal under or slightly behind 

 middle of dorsal; length of anal base about equal to the distance from front of orbit to base of ventral 

 fin. Pectorals not reaching ventrals, their length about one-half length of head. Length of ventrals 

 equaling or slightly exceeding distance from tip of snout to middle of pupil. 



Color light olive, with the usual bright reflections; a large dark patch of brown dots on 

 occiput; a double series of dots along median line posterior to dorsal, this absent in some specimens; 

 large specimens with a bright well defined silvery streak, slightly narrowing anteriorly and on caudal 

 peduncle, its greatest width about equaling diameter of eye. In the young, this band is fainter and 

 narrower. A conspicuous series of black dots at base of anal. 



Characterized by the slender form, well defined silvery streak, sharply carinated breast, the 

 small eye, and the very long, compressed, deep and rather bluntly rounded snout. Most closely 

 resembling A. starksi, from which it differs in smaller eye, longer snout, and slightly longer anal. 

 Length 40 to 52 mm. 



84. Anchovia starksi {Gilbert £• Pierson). 



S(o/ep//orus s/arksi GiLEERT & Pierson (Jordan & Evermann, 1898, p. 2813). 



Head 3.3 to 3.6; depth 4.8 to 5.5 in length, 1.3 in head. Eye 3 to 3.5 in head. Dorsal 

 15 or 16; anal 17 to 22; scales about 41. Vertebrae 40 (counted in one e.xample only). 



Body long and slender, slightly deeper and more compressed than in A. ischamts, which much 

 resembles this species. Dorsal outline very little arched ; ventral outline nearly straight from gill open- 

 ing to insertion of anal fin, the lower profile of head oblique, nearly straight. Belly compressed, 

 keeled for anterior two-thirds of its length in front of base of ventrals. 



Headlong and pointed, its width i^ times in its length. Maxillary abruptly widened opposite 

 the mandibular joint, tapering posteriorly to a blunt point, which reaches almost to the gill-opening, its 

 length equal to length of base of anal. Snout long, sharp, and projecting, abruptly compressed in its 



