290 



FISHERY BULLETIN OF THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE 



side cycloid on head, ctenoid on greater posterior 

 part of body, the ctenoid scales usually extending 

 on midline to about posterior end of arch, in lat- 

 eral line, varying with individual fish, with that 

 point as a center, from a vertical about through 

 the middle of the arch to an equal distance be- 

 liind ; broad wedge shaped areas of cycloid scales 

 usually extending backward above and below the 

 median ctenoid scales for variable distances, some- 

 times the ctenoid scales ending everywhere on the 

 same, nearly straight, transverse line (above de- 

 scription applying to specimens 116 mm. or more; 

 in two small specimens, 54 and 55 ram., ctenoid 

 scales present only on posterior half of body, the 

 spinules probably not having as yet developed on 

 the more anterior scales: compare with account 

 of ollonga, p. 294) . Maxillary of eyed side with a 

 small patch of 7 to 16 scales, usually in 3, some- 

 times in 2 or 4 irregular rows, all or nearly all 

 ctenoid in medium-sized specimens (116-208 mm.) 

 with the spinules rather well developed, some- 

 times a few of them cycloid; in larger specimens 

 (240-313 mm.) most of them apparently cycloid 

 but early ctenoid nature of a few at least always 

 evident by rather weak spinules or gi-anular 

 asperities (in 2 specimens 54 to 55 mm. scales on 

 maxillary rather small, cycloid and embedded ap- 

 parently not far from beginning of development ). 

 Scales 45 to 56; accessory scales absent. Gill rak- 

 ers on first arch modally 18 in total number, vary- 

 ing 15 to 21; 4 or 5, sometimes 6 on upper limb; 

 modally 13 on lower limb, varying 11 to 15. Anal 

 rays 47 to 55 ; dorsal rays 63 to 70. Pectoral rays 

 nearly always 11 on eyed side (in 12 specimens), 

 sometimes 12 (in 1) ; on blind side 10 (in 5), or 

 11 (in 8). Origin of dorsal very nearly over 

 middle of eye in small and also large specimens, 

 sometimes nearer to anterior margin of pupil than 

 middle of eye in large fish. Teeth nearly equal, 

 the anterior ones slightly enlarged. Maxillary 

 extending to a vertical through middle of eye in 

 2 specimens 54 and 55 mm., generally to posterior 

 margin of pupil in specimens 116 to 208 mm., to 

 about posterior margin of eye or below the space 

 between the posterior margin of pupil and pos- 

 terior margin of eye in specimens 240 to 334 mm. 

 Eye conspicuously large ; depth medium ; head and 

 maxillary long, gi-adually increasing in length 

 with growth up to largest specimens (compare 

 with discussion on page 281). Sinistral. 



Color. — Most specimens examined are faded, 

 where color is present it may be described as fol- 

 lows; Ground color a light brownish yellow, ir- 

 regularly speckled with darker; many ring-like 

 spots of a dark brown on body and head, often the 

 inside area of the ring becoming more or less pig- 

 mented like the periphery, except a small area 

 near the margin, thus forming a rounded dark 

 spot with a small lighter area on one side, the 

 lighter area sometimes in form of a short curved 

 band, the spot then suggesting an incomplete 

 ocellus; 6 spots especially conspicuous and persist- 

 ing in nearly all faded specimens, forming a lon- 

 gitudinal row of three spots below dorsal profile 

 and a similar row over ventral profile; the pair of 

 anterior spots usually less prominent than other 

 4 on a transverse line dividing an imaginary chord 

 of the arch into two une(|ual parts, about three- 

 fifths anteriorly and two-fifths posteriorly; mid- 

 dle pair of spots on a vertical somewhat nearer 

 to head than base of caudal ; posterior pair of spots 

 near ends of vertical fins, extending partly on the 

 fins. A pair of smaller spots on caudal peduncle, 

 one above and one below, at base of caudal rays, 

 more or less evident, these spots continued for a 

 short distance onto blind side. Caudal of blind 

 side, and to a lesser extent also anal and dorsal, 

 shaded with dark in some specimens. In the two 

 smallest fish, 54 and 55 mm., a faint lighter bar, 

 bordered faintly with a diffuse darker pigmenta- 

 tion extending across the fish between each of the 

 jjosterior two jiairs of spots. The color in life, 

 according to Eigenmann, is strongly tinged with 

 blue, with numerous spots of light blue and with 

 five pairs of dark brown ocelli, the alternate ones 

 more conspicuous. The latter spots are evident- 

 ly those which persist in preserved specimens, but 

 their ocellate character disappears or becomes 

 faint after presei'vation. 



Lcetotype. — Two specimens were described by 

 Eigenmann without designating a liolotype. One 

 of these, U.S.N.M. 41905, 315 mm. in total length, 

 is hereby designated as the lectotype. 



Specimens examined. — Santa Barbara Channel. 

 off Santa Barbara, Calif. ; Albatross Station 2961 ; 

 lat. 34°22'45" N. long. 119°40'30" W: 21 fathoms; 

 Feb. 11, 1889 (47289). Santa Barbara Channel, 

 off Ventura, Calif. ; Albatross Station 2971 ; lat. 

 34°20'23" N. long. 119°37'50" W; 29 fathoms; 

 Feb. 11, 1889 (46324). Nearly same position as 



