WEST AFRICA 



25 



equal size from the Atlantic. Helicolemis dactylopterus is said to be common on the 

 western side of the Atlantic, mainly between latitudes 30° and 40° N, but, judging 

 from a single specimen of 122 mm. length, taken by the 'Albatross' in the North-West 

 Atlantic (40° 00' 15" N, 70° 55' 30" W) at a depth of 136 fathoms, this should be a 

 distinct species, distinguishable by the smaller eye, which is about 3^ in length of 

 head and about twice the interorbital width, less deeply concave interorbital region, 

 and by the constant presence of a small spine on the suborbital ridge. The scales may 

 be a little larger in the American form, but the specimen examined is in a poor state 

 of preservation. The Western Atlantic species will stand as H. maderensis, Goode and 

 Bean, a somewhat unfortunate name, as it has been clearly shown that this form does 

 not occur at all on the eastern side of the Atlantic. H. maculatus (Cuv. and Val.), from 

 the Cape, is closely related to H. dactylopterus, but may be readily distinguished by the 

 rather longer and more numerous gill-rakers (21 or 22), larger scales, and by the 

 coloration. 



H. dactylopterus is usually found in fairly deep water, chiefly between 100 and 400 

 fathoms, but young and half-grown individuals have been recorded from lesser depths. 

 The maximum size of the species appears to be about 24 inches. 



Helicolenus microphthalmus, Norman. 

 1935, Proc. Zool. Soc, p. 612, fig. I. 

 Hab. OflP Saltburn, Yorks ; 30 fathoms. 

 Known only from the types, 63 and 103 mm. in total length. 



Genus Scorpaena, Linnaeus 



1758, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, p. 266. Type Scorpaena porcus, Linnaeus. 



There are numerous species of this genus in all tropical and temperate seas, presenting 

 considerable variation in squamation and in the armature of the head. It seems 

 certain that a careful revision of all the species would reveal definite characters for the 

 subdivision of the genus, and even the few species dealt with here represent a somewhat 

 heterogeneous assemblage. It is probable that the species with the breast naked (Scor- 

 paena) will have to be separated from the remainder, and it is very doubtful whether 

 the species described by Koehler as echinata (? =-cristtdata, Goode and Bean) should be 

 included. 1 The presence or absence of an occipital pit, originally believed to be of 

 primary importance, proves to be of little value as a generic character, and within the 

 genus every gradation exists between a deep quadrate pit on the occiput and a very 

 shallow depression or none at all. 



There appear to be nine species of Scorpaena in the Mediterranean and adjacent 

 parts of the Atlantic, of which one was originally described by Sauvage in 1878, but 

 has not since been recognized, and another is described below as new to science. 



1 See p. 32 of this report. 



