PEOCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 429 



GG. Froutals cavernous (like those of Sciienoids), with longitudinal os- 

 seous bars, leaving interspaces in front of traus%erse ridge and on eacli 

 side near the front ; supraorbital margins smooth ; prefrontals behind, 

 with simple foramina for olfactory nerves ; body comparatively short 

 and deep; head scaly above and on jaws and snout; soft dorsal and 

 anal scaly at base; peritoneum and lining of gill-cavity black; caudal 

 lunate Verilus, 8. 



I.— Genus IIOPLOPAGEUS. 



HOPLOPAGRUS, Gill, Phila. Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci., 1862, 253 (Giintheri) 



One species of this remarkable generic type is known. With a close 

 resemblance in nearly all respects to L. caxis, and other ordinary Lut- 

 jani, it differs in the structure of the nostrils and in the dentition en- 

 tirely from all other fishes of this type. 



1. Hoplopagrus giintheri. Fargo (Mazatlan). 



Hoplopayrus (jiintheri, Gill, Proc. Ac. Nat Sci. Phila., 1862, 253 (Cape San 

 Lucas); Steindachner, Ichthy. Beitrjige, vi, 1878, 1 (Altata); Jordan 

 & Gilbert, Bull. U.S.Nat. Mus.,1882, 107, 112 (Mazatlan; Punta Arenas). 



Mabitat. — Cape San Lucas ; Punta Arenas; Mazatlan. 



Head, 2f (4A) ; depth, 2^ (3f ). D. X, 14 ; A. Ill, 9. Scales, 6-47-16. 

 Length (29581, Mazatlan), 6Mnches. 



Form oblong ovate, the body shorter and deeper than in any Ameri- 

 can species of Liitjanns, the back compressed and somewhat arched, 

 abruptly contracted to the base of the short caudal peduncle. Ante- 

 rior profile very sliglitly and evenly convex from tip of snout to front 

 of spinous dorsal. 



Snout rather long and pointed, its length 2^ in head. Mouth small, 

 the maxillary scarcely reaching to front of orbit. Its length 3 in head. 



Teeth in jaws arranged as in the Litljani, but coarse and blunt, the 

 lateral teeth of both jaws rounded and molar-like, more blunt in large 

 examples. Upper jaw with about 2 coarse, rather long canines. Vo- 

 mer with about 3 coarse molar teeth. Palatines and tongue toothless. 

 Lower jaw rather weak, included. Anterior nostril at the extreme front 

 of the snout, close to the premaxillary, in the extremity of a barbel-like 

 tube which hangs down above the mouth and is nearly half as long 

 as the eye. Posterior nostril a rather long and narrow oblique slit, 

 near the front of the eye. • Eye small, near the middle of the length 

 of the head, 4.^ in head (young). Interorbital space rather broad and 

 convex, its width 4^ in head. Preorbital broad, its least width 3^^ to 4 

 in head. Vertical limb of preopercle oblique, sharply serrate, the teeth 

 fine above, coarse at the angle. 



Emargination of preopercle sharp and deep, more conspicuous than 

 in any American species of Lufjanus, the knob of the interopercle con- 

 spicuous. Gill-rakers few and short, about seven developed on lower 

 part of anterior arch, besides several rudiments. Opercle without spi- 

 nous projections. Scapular scale serrate. 



