Jorda?i and Evernidnn. — Fishes of North America. 2369 



879. AUCHENOPTERUS, Giinther. 



Auchenopterus, GOnther, Cat., ill, 275, 1861 (monophthabmis). 



Oremnobates, Gunther, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1861, 374 (monophthalmus). Substitute for 



Auchenopterus, regarded as preoccupied on account of its similarity to Auchenipterus, 



a genus of Slluridce. 

 Corallieola, Jordan & Evermann, new subgenus {marmoratus) . 



Body moderately eloiigate, compressed, covered with ratlier large, cycloid 

 scales; head shortish, naked, the snout rather pointed; cheeks fnll; mouth 

 moderate, with a band of conical teeth in the jaws and about 1 series on 

 the vomer, none on the palatines; lower jaw prominent; gill membranes 

 united, free from the isthmus; upper surface of head with tentacles. 

 Dorsal fin composed of stiff spines, with but a single soft ray, which is 

 lower than the spines ; first 3 spines more or less separated from the others, 

 stiff and rather wider set, sometimes higher than the others ; anal fin low, 

 with 2 short spines; ventrals jugular, well developed ; pectorals broad; 

 lateral line complete, strongly curved anteriorly. Warm seas. This genus 

 differs from Cristiccps in having but 1 soft ray in the dorsal fin, and in 

 the large scales. {avxi)y, nape; TtTspov, fin.) 



CoEALUCOLA ( Corallus, coral ; colo, I inhabit) : 

 a. First 3 or 4 spines of dorsal forming a separate fin, being mucli higher than any of 

 the spines in the posterior part of tlie fin; snout rather acute. 

 6. Scales 33; dorsal with 1 ocellus, anal with none; a black cross bar at base of 

 caudal; a yellow spot behind eye; snout pointed. nigripinnis, 2712. 



bb. Scales 37 or 38. 



c. First dorsal spine longer than second; dorsal with 2 ocelli; anal blackish; 



D. IV-XXIV, 1. ALTIVELIS, 2713. 



cc. First dorsal spine shorter than second ; snout slender, very acute ; caudal 

 pale; dorsal with 2 ocelli, anal with 1 ; D. III-XXII, 1. 



maemoratus, 2714. 

 Auchenopterus : 

 aa. First 3 spines of dorsal scarcely forming a separate fin, none of them higher than 

 the posterior spines; snout not very acute; anal without ocellus. 

 d. Caudal fin pale, usually with a dark bar at its base; a notch between third 

 and fourth dorsal spines. 

 e. Dorsal spines about 31. 



/. Scales 34 to 36; membrane of third spine joining fourth at its base; 

 dorsal and anal plain dusky. affinis, 2715. 



//. Scales 38. 



g. Membrane of third spine joining fourth slightly above its base. 



MONOPHTHALMUS, 2716. 



gg. Membrane of third spine joining fourth spine much above its 



b.ase. INTEGRIPINNIS, 2717. 



ee. Dorsal spines about 28 ; membrane of third spine joining fourth above its 



base; scales 38; body with distinct cross bars; dorsal with 1 ocellus. 



FASCIATUS, 2718. 



dd. Caudal fin black; body chiefly black; head mottled with whitish; membrane 

 of third dorsal fin joining fourth near its siunmit, the fin not notched ; 

 dorsal spines 30 ; dorsal with 2 ocelli. NOX, 2719. 



Subgenus CORALLICOLA, Jordan & Evermann. 



2712. AUCHENOPTERUS NIGRIPINNIS (Steindachner). 



Head 4; depth 5i. D. XXVIII, 1; A. 11,27; scales 33; eye 4i in head; 

 snout 4|, equal to iuterorbital space; snout pointed. Three first dorsal 

 spines higher than the others and further apart. A tentacle over eye. 



