70 ALLAN HANCOCK PACIFIC EXPEDITIONS VOL. 9 



Echelidae 



See Myers and Storey 1939, Stanford Ichth, Bull., vol. 1, no. 4, 

 p. 156, for remarks on the classification of this family. 



Genus GARMANIGHTHYS Scale 



Garmanichthys Scale, 1917, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard, vol. 61, 

 p. 80 (type by monotypy G. dentatus Scale). 



Arenichthys Beebe and Tee-Van, 1938, Zoologica, Sci. Contrib. New 

 York Zool. Soc, vol. 23, p. 301 (type by original designation A. 

 apteriis Beebe and Tee-Van). 



This genus is composed of small eels differing from the Indo-Pacific 

 Muraenichthys chiefly in the more anterior insertion of the dorsal fin, 

 which begins above or slightly behind the gill openings instead of far 

 behind. Pectoral fins absent. Vomerine teeth in two more or less parallel 

 series, the series separated by an interspace anteriorly, running close to- 

 gether posteriorly, with one median, enlarged tooth at the beginning of 

 the vomerine series. Snout pointed. Lower jaw shorter than the upper. 

 Two of the three known species show one or two collarlike color bands 

 at the nape. Scale's description of G. dentatus mentions "ten" vomerine 

 series, which is evidently a misprint for "two." 



This genus is entirely American in its known distribution. G. den- 

 tatus is described from Barbados in the Atlantic. The other two species 

 are from the eastern Pacific. 



Key to the Known Species 



la. Body yellowish, thickly banded with brown across the body and 

 fins; a white band across the nape (Barbados). . G. dentatus Scale. 



lb. Body plain brown or longitudinally bicolor; no bands or only one or 

 two on head. 



2a. Dorsal beginning a snout length behind the gill opening; body 

 bicolor, brown above and whitish beneath, the line of demarcation 

 sharply marked from eye to near end of tail ; no band across nape ; 

 canthal line and upper lip white; lower jaw with a longitudinal 



brown line (Cape San Lucas and Gorgona Island) 



G. apterus (Beebe and Tee-Van). 



