334 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



19. Citharichthys latifrons, sp. nov. (29255,29416,29425,29496.) 

 Subgenus Hemirhomhus Bleeker. 



Body ellipiical, tUe dorsal and ventral outlines equally arched; mouth 

 placed low, below axis of body; snout with an abrupt constriction in 

 front of upper orbit, the outline then again convex ; eyes on the left side, 

 distant, the lower in advance of the ui3per ; a vertical line from anterior 

 mfirg'in of upper orbit passing through the middle of the lower ; dis- 

 tance of upper eye from dorsal outline equaling two- thirds its vertical 

 diameter; iuterorbital space concave, very wide, its width IJ times 

 diameter of orbit in a specimen 8 iuches long, much narrower in young 

 specimens; a ridge from upper angle of lower eye runs upwards and 

 backwards to join a ridge from upper orbit. Nostrils on a level with 

 upper margin of lower eye, the anterior with a Hap, distant from the 

 posterior, which is circular; length of snout to front of lower eye 4^ to 

 5 in head. Mouth very oblique, the gape convex upwards and back- 

 wards; maxillary two-fifths length of head, reaching to middle of lower 

 pupil; it is very narrow and covered with small scales. Teeth small; 

 the upper jaw with two series, the front teeth of the outer series some- 

 what enlarged; lower jaw with a single series; vomer and palatines 

 toothless. 



Gill-rakers short and broad, the longest about one-half vertical diam- 

 eter of pupil; about 7 on anterior limb of arch; pseudobranchi.ie present. 

 Preopercle with posterior margin nearly vertical, the lower third only 

 free, the upper two-thirds grown fast to opercle and scaled over; the 

 lower margin running very obliquely downwards and forwards, the 

 angle thus an obtuse one. Dorsal fin commencing on the snout in front 

 of upper eye, the first four or five rays exserted and turned over to the 

 blind side; the highest rays are behind the middle of the tin and are 

 about two-fifths length of head; anal fin similar to dorsal, its origin 

 under base of pectorals. Caudal short, about two-thirds length of 

 head, the middle rays the longest, the outer rays slightly prolonged. 

 Veutrals unsymmetrical, that of colored side on the ridge of the abdo- 

 men, the other inserted in front of it. Pectoral of colored side long, 

 the rays very slender, the two upper prolonged and filamentous, the 

 upper (in adults) more than one-third total length ; pectoral of blind 

 side more than two-fifths length of head. 



Scales ciliated, somewhat irregular, of moderate size, with small scales 

 intermixed; snout naked, head and body otherwise scaly ; scales on iu- 

 terorbital region very small; a series of small scales on basal half of 

 each dorsal and anal ray; base of caudal thickly scaled, a series of 

 small scales running nearly to tip of each ray. Lateral line slightly 

 rising anteriorly but without distinct curv^e. 



D. 92; A. 72. Head 4 in length; depth 2^-; Lat. 1. GO. 



Head and body light brown, with grayish and light bluish dots, with 

 some darker areas and a few round brown spots ocellated with lighter. 

 Interorbital space with a vertical brown bar bordered by lighter. Fins 



