i20 DISCOVERY REPORTS 



ATHERINIDAE 



Genus Austromenidia, Hubbs 1 



1918, Proc. Acad. N.S. Philad., lxix (1917), p. 307; Jordan and Hubbs, 1919, Studies in 

 Ichthyol, Stanford Univ. Publ. Biol. Set., p. 64. Type Basilichthys regillus, Abbott. 



This is the genus generally known to South American authors as Basilichthys, and 

 includes most of the large, fine-scaled Atherines of the south-temperate region of South 

 America. The genotype of Basilichthys, Girard (1854, Proc. Acad. N.S. Philad., VII, 

 p. 198), is Atherina microlepidota, Jenyns, a species in which the praemaxillaries are not 

 truly protractile, the skin being interrupted over the middle of the snout. 2 



Austromenidia smitti (Lahille). 



Atherinichthys laticlavia (part), Giinther, 1861, Cat. Fish., in, p. 402. 



Atherinichthys laticlavia (non Cuvier and Valenciennes), Cunningham, 1871, Trans. Linn. Soc. 



London, xxvn, p. 471. 

 Atherinichthys microlepidotus (non Jenyns), Berg, 1895, Anal. Mus. Nac. B. Aires, iv, p. 28. 

 Atherinichthys regia (non Humboldt), Smitt, 1898, Bih. Sv. Vet.-Akad. Handl., xxiv, iv, No. 5, 



p. 31, pi. iv, figs. 30, 31. 

 Basilichthys laticlavia (non Cuvier and Valenciennes), Regan, 1913, Trans. R. Soc. Edinb., xlix, 



P- 237- 

 Basilichthys smitti, Lahille, 1929, Revist. Chil, xxxiii, p. 84; Lahdle, 1929, Bol. Minist. Agric. 

 Nac. Republ. Argentina, xxvm, p. 345, figs.; Lahille, 1929-31, Anal. Mus. Nac. B. Aires, 

 xxxvi, p. 105, fig. 

 Basilichthys smitti var. australis, Lahille, 1929, Revist. Chil, xxxm, p. 89; Lahille, 1929, Bol. 



Minist. Agric. Nac. Republ. Argentina, xxvm, p. 345, fig. 

 ? Basilichthys madrynensis, Lahille, 1929, t.c, p. 344, fig. 

 15. iii. 32. Port Madryn. Hand line, 2 m.: 3 specimens, 180-205 mm. 



Depth of body 5 to 8 (young) in the length, length of head about 5. Snout from as 

 long to if times as long as eye, diameter of which is 3+ (young) to 5! in length of head 

 and i\ to nearly twice in interorbital width. Jaws about equal anteriorly; maxillary 

 not reaching vertical from anterior margin of eye ; teeth in jaws rather small ; vomerine 

 teeth present. 20 to 30 gill-rakers on lower part of anterior arch. 92 to 104 scales in 

 a longitudinal series. Dorsal VI-VII, I 10-12; origin of spinous dorsal well behind 

 root of pelvic, about equidistant from base of caudal and end of snout or a little nearer 

 to the latter. Anal I 17-20 ; last ray nearly directly opposite that of soft dorsal. Length 

 of pectoral about § that of head. Caudal forked ; caudal peduncle 3 i to 4 times as long 

 as deep. 



Hab. Coast of Patagonia; Falkland Islands; Straits of Magellan; southern Chile. 



Mr Bennett has sent 11 specimens (145-270 mm.) of this species, taken at Port 

 Stanley, Falklands, in the months of January, February and March, and there are 



1 Odontesthes, Evermann and Kendall, is a closely related genus, but has the head more pike-like and 

 pointed, and the spinous dorsal is situated above the anterior part of the anal. 



2 See Eigenmann (1928, Mem. Nat. Acad. Set. Washington, xxn, No. 2, p. 53) for a full discussion of 

 the status of Basilichthys. 



