GILBERT AND ST AEKS — FISHES OF PANAMA BAY 109 



201. Brachydeuterus nitidus (Steindachner). 



Four specimens taken. They agree with Dr. Steindachner's description in 

 most particuhirs. 



Head 3 to 3| in length without caudal; snout 3 to 3] in head; eye 4 to 4^; 

 interorbital (bone) 5. Scales 48 to 50. Two of our specimens have 9 anal ray.s, one 

 has 14 dorsal rays; the others have 8 anal and 15 dorsal rays. The upper lobe of 

 the caudal is conspicuously longer than the lower lobe. 



202. Brachydeuterus leuciscus (Giinther). 



Very abundant; the young and half-grown specimens exhibit the same bewild- 

 ering variety of form and general appearance for which the species is noted in other 

 parts of its range. Compared with adults, the young appear much slenderer, with 

 longer sharper snout, smaller mouth, and less arched frontal region. The preorbital 

 usually appears much wider; but in all these respects there is wide variation among 

 young of the same size. It reaches the length of 31 cm.; adults vary little in appear- 

 ance, and ajiproach nearly the even contour of Pomadasis panamensis. The pectoral 

 is never falcate, and equals the distance from tip of snout to upper preopercular 

 margin. 



203. Pomadasis panamensis {Steindachner). 



This species was very abundant at Panama. Our material shows few varia- 

 tions from Dr. Steindachner's description. 



Eye 4|- to 5| in head; interorbital 4V to 5; second anal spine 2-g- to 2f. The 

 maxillary reaches a vertical from the anterior margin, or the anterior third, of the 

 pupil. Dr. Steindachner's statement that the third dorsal spine is from 2 to 2^ times 

 as long as the second is doubtless a slip of the pen. The third dorsal spine in our 

 sjjecimens varies from 3 to 31 times the length of the second. 



204. Pomadasis bayanus Jordan it Evermunn. 



Pristipoma humilc Kner & Steindachner, 1S64, p. 222, PI. I, fig. i. Steindachner, 1879 a, 



p. 33. Not Pristipoma humilis Bowdich. 

 Pomadasis daya>i/ts ]oRUAN & Evermann, 189S, p. 1331. 



One specimen, 36 cm. long, was taken in the Rio Grande River, at Miraflores, 

 a jwint above tide-level, where the water is perfectly fresh. A small specimen is in 

 the museum of Stanford University, collected at San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, by 

 Mr. J. F. Abbott. The records do not show whether this specimen was taken in the 

 river at San Jose, or in the sea. 



The species is very close to P. crocro, agreeing with it in general shape and 

 color, and in fin and scale forrauh^. Both species have normally 13 dor,sal spines. 

 P. bayanus has a longer snout, larger mouth and shorter second anal spine. The 

 latter varies greatly with age. In our smaller specimen, it reaches far beyond the 

 tip of the soft rays, to the base of the anal, and is contained 4 times in the length; in 

 the larger specimen, it fails to reach the tip of anal rays, and is contained 64 times 



( 15) November 30, 1903. 



