NO. 3 PIPEFISHES OF THE PACIFIC AMERICAN COASTS 53 



been designated as C. albirostris Heckel by Jordan and Evermann (1896: 

 761) ; (3) that neither the eggs nor the brood pouch of C. albirostris has 

 been described in the literature. Quoting Parr at this point: 



There are thus two possibilities of classification to be further investigated. Firstly, 

 that C. albirostris may prove perfectly concordant with the definition of the genus 

 Bhanotia, in which case the latter designation becomes reduced to a synonym of 

 Corythoichthys. Secondly, that C. albirostris may prove truly differentiable from 

 Bhanotia on the basis of the size of its eggs and the dermal cover of its brood 

 pouch, in which case Bhanotia and Corythoichthys may be maintained as truly 

 distinct genera. It will, however, in either case be necessary to give a new generic 

 definition for that group of species the distinction of which was first pointed out 

 by Hora, i.e., for the forms with a relatively long slender and smooth snout, with 

 smooth crests (at least on the head), with small, numerous eggs, and with the 

 dermal folds of the brood pouch not meeting in the median. For the species thus 

 defined {Corythoichthys sensu stricto Duncker, nee. (Kaup) Jordan), the author 

 herewith introduces the new generic name of Bhanotichthys, in recognition of the 

 true merits of Dr. Hora's differentiation of two taxonomically separate groups 

 among the forms here considered, and in an endeavor to perpetuate in only a 

 slightly altered form the nomenclatural dedication intended by him for one of these 

 groups, since the author considers it most probable that Bhanotia will prove 

 entirely synonymous with Corythoichthys sensu stricto (Kaup) Jordan, nee. 

 Duncker. As the genotype of Bhanotichthys may be designated Syngnathus fasci- 

 a/wj Gray {Corythoichthys fasciatus Duncker; (?) Hora). 



Careful study of this extract will show a contradiction. First it is 

 stated that regardless of whether or not Bhanotia should prove to be a 

 synonym of Corythoichthys, it would be necessary to erect a new genus 

 for those species typified by C. fasciatus. Then later, the new genus 

 Bhanotichthys is introduced and based entirely upon the supposition that 

 Bhanotia would prove completely synonymous with Corythoichthys. 

 However it is evident from the discussion that only 2 groups were meant 

 to be dealt with, although the first statement as given in this paragraph 

 would lead the reader to believe that there were 3 groups. 



The question concerning the status of Bhanotichthys and Bhanotia 

 must be settled by the results of a re-examination of the type species of 

 Corythoichthys, C. albirostris. If the brooding males of this species have 

 a complete dermal covering to the pouch and have the eggs arranged in 2 

 rows, then Bhanotia will become a synonym of Corythoichthys and 

 Bhanotichthys will be valid, but, if the eggs are arranged in several rows 

 and the brood pouch flaps do not meet in the midventral line, then 

 Bhanotichthys will become a synonym of Corythoichthys and Bhanotia 

 will be valid. 



