o I4 PAPERS FROM TORTUGAS LABORATORY vol. xxxiv 



Ogcocephalus parvus Longley and Hildebrand 



Ogcocephalus parvus Longley and Hildebrand, Carnegie Inst. Wash. Pub. 517, 1940, 

 p. 283, fig. 28 — Tortugas, Florida. 



Ogcocephalus vespertilio (Linnaeus) 



Much less common at Tortugas than Ogcocephalus cubifrons. The 3 speci- 

 mens seen were 134, 85, and 70 mm. long, one of which was taken in 11 fathoms 

 west of White Shoal, and the others in 30 and 45 fathoms south of the atoll. 



After preservation the smallest fish is gray, with pectoral, anal, and caudal fins 

 black-tipped. Its rostrum enters 6 times into standard length, and the rostrum of 

 the largest one enters 6% times into standard length. The breadth of the disk is 

 a comparatively unreliable measure, as in one fish during normal breathing it 

 may vary from 53 to 56 mm., and it may reach 66 mm. if the fish is excited by 

 holding it in the hand under water. 



Ground color of the largest specimen in life, hazel above; tips of larger spines 

 along back before dorsal rosy, the many lesser spines everywhere gray-tipped, 

 constituting fine flecks on the brown; a fine pattern of spots in radiating series 

 about gill openings; iris with fine lines radially arranged at pupillary border, 

 forming a network peripherally and extending beneath the opaque covering of 

 eye; pectorals and caudal buff -yellow over basal half, passing through maroon- 

 purple to prune purple at tips, the contrast between the darker outer third and 

 the yellow basal two-thirds being sharper on under side of pectorals; belly, 

 maxillary membranes, and buccal cavity coppery red. W. H. L. 



The collection contains 2 specimens, 81 and 126 mm. long, which presumably 

 are the 2 larger specimens listed by Dr. Longley. 



The spines are of smaller average size, and finer and sharper in these speci- 

 mens than in the other local species represented in the collection. 



The following proportions and enumerations are based on the 2 specimens in 

 the collection. Head, measured to gill opening and without rostral process, in 

 length, the latter also without rostral process, 2.0, 2.0; depth 4.5, 4.6; tip of upper 

 jaw to vent 1.7, 1.6. Eye in head 7.4, 6.2; rostral process in advance of eye 2.3, 2.3; 

 interorbital 6.8, 7.1; caudal peduncle 4.5, 4.7; pectoral 2.6, 2.4. D. 4, 4; A. 4, 4; 

 P. 11, 12. 



Both specimens are dark brown above, with pale spines making the surface 

 appear pale-spotted and dotted; pale spots around eye also consisting of small 

 spines; pectorals and caudal distally dusky in the smaller specimen, and black 

 in the larger one. 



From Dr. Longley's notes on the examination of various museum specimens, 

 perhaps conducted after the foregoing was written, I infer that he was in doubt 

 as to whether this species actually should be called vespertilio, apparently be- 

 lieving that that species originally was described from Brazil, and that Brazilian 

 specimens were not the same as the Tortugas ones. I am unable to find, how- 

 ever, that he reached a definite conclusion. 



West Indies to North Carolina and probably southward to Brazil. S. F. H. 



