BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 311 



5. Sci^na ericymba, sp. nov. (29338, 29433, 29466, 29477, 29479, 29494.) 

 Snb<jeiins Stelliferus Stark = Homoprion Holbrook. 

 Allied to 6\ J'iirthl (Stciud.). 



Uotly short and stout, little compressed, the back somewhat elevated, 

 the caudal i)eduncle slender. Profile nearly straight and not steep, 

 from the scarcely truncate snout to the occiput, where an angle is 

 formed, the rise thence to the base of the dorsal being more steep. 



Head formed much as in 8. oscitans and IS. stellifera, very broad, with 

 very cavernous ])reopercle, preorbital and cranium. Interorbital space 

 broad, flat, its least width equal to snout and half of eye, about twice 

 diameter of the small eye, li| in length of head. Supraocular ridges 

 prominent; a cross-ridge on forehead connecting nostrils. 



IMouth terminal, oblique, smaller and more oblique than in 8. fiirthi, 

 its gape 24 in length of head; premaxillaries in front on the level of 

 lower part of eye; maxillary reaching to opposite posterior border of 

 pupil; front of premaxidaries extending further forward than tip of 

 snout (in >S. oscitans the snout protrudes a little; in 8. fiirthi considera- 

 bly). . 



Teeth much as in 8. fiirthi,- upper jaw with an external series of 

 small, slender teeth, behind which are two or three rows of smaller 

 teeth; lower jaw with a narrow villiform band. Pores of chin obscure; 

 symphyseal knob small. 



Edge of preopercle with several (about 7), rather strong, slender, 

 radiating teeth; the three near the angle largest, none of them directed 

 downwards or forwards. Gill-rakers long and slender, much more than 

 half the diameter of the eye; pseudobranchise small. Sux^rascapula 

 prominent, with slender teeth. 



Scales large, rather strongly ctenoid ; lateral line very strongly arched, 

 becoming straight just in front of insertion of anal. Vertical fliis cov- 

 ered with small scales, as in other species of 8teUiferus and ^'PachyurusJ'^ 



Spinous dorsal low, the second spine much stouter than those suc- 

 ceediug, stiff; other spines very slender and flexible; second spine as 

 long as snout and half of eye; third spine two-fifths length of head. 

 Soft dorsal low, rather lower than the spines. Caudal fin rhombic, the 

 middle rays longest, three-fourths length of head; least depth of caudal 

 l)eduncle two-fifths length of head. 



Anal fin small, not very far back, its last rays well in front of last of 

 dorsal; distance from its first ray to front of cauda) 3_^ in total length 

 of fish (to base of caudal); its distance behind the vent about equal to 

 the length of its second spine. Second anal spine 4 in head, stout, but 

 shortish, lower than the soft rays. Ventrals moderate, not reaching 

 vent, coterminous with the pectorals, which are rather long, four-fifths 

 length of head. 



Length of head equal to greatest depth of body, 3^ in length. 



D. XII, 24; A. II, 7 ; scales 5-48-8 (rows). 



Coloration dark brownish above, white below; everywhere with dark 



