eigenmann: the cheirodontin^. 



45 



Head 4; depth 2.75-3; D. 11; A. 24-26; scales G or 7-38 to 40-5; eye 2.75-3 + 

 in the head, equal to interorbital. 



Compressed, fusiform in outline, the dorsal and ventral outlines equally 

 symmetrically curved; preventral area rounded, with a nearly complete median 

 series of fourteen scales, predorsal area narrowly rounded with a median series of 

 ten scales; occipital process bordered by four scales, extending one-fourth to dorsal; 

 skull convex in cross-section; frontal fontanel 2.25 in the parietal; third suborbital 

 in contact with both the vertical and horizontal limb of the preopercle, but leaving 



Fig. 12. Parecbasis cyclolepis Eigenmann. a, outline of head; b, outline of top of head, showing frontal 

 (J) and occipital (o) fontanels; c, premaxillary; d, dentary, teeth greatly enlarged; e,f, g, premaxillary, maxillary, 

 and mandible in outline, moderately enlarged. 



a narrow angle below its anterior edge ; maxillary reaching to just below eye or not 

 quite so far; mouth clupeoid, the premaxillary transverse, without an antero- 

 posterior extent; teeth minute, confined to the premaxillary and but little more than 

 the portion of the mandible in contact with it when the mouth is closed. 



Origin of dorsal equidistant from tip of snout and end of adipose or a little 

 nearer the latter; dorsal falcate, its highest ray exceeding length of head; anal 



