20i2 Bulletin 4.7, United States National Muse^im. 



2401. STELLEBIIVA XYOSTEBNA* (Jordan & Gilbert). 



B.6; D.VIorVII-6; A. 8 or 9; P. 17 to 19; V. 3 (I, 2); C. 1, 11,1; lat- 

 eral line 36. Body slightly depressed in front, as high as wide under tirst 

 dorsal, 8-hedral, siibterete, the faces but little concave; tail strongly 

 depressed, hexagonal. The sharp, slightly curved spines present on all 

 the plates of each series, hut minute on the median, dorsal and ventral 

 plates of caudal peduncle; the superior lateral series beginning opposite 

 front of lirst dorsal, being reijlaced anteriorly by the series of the lateral 

 line. Unlike the species of Phalangistes (in which there are several), 

 only 1 pair of plates between last ray of second dorsal and first median 

 plate and 1 between last anal ray and first median plate. Breast, unlike 

 that of other species, without plates, but covered with innumerable 

 radially striated prickles; edge of breast in front of lower end of base 

 of pectoral with 3 to 5 plates. Branchiostegal membrane and under 

 side of mandible naked; membrane between the ventrolateral series 

 behind and around A'eut with minute scattered prickles; 2 or 3 spinous 

 plates in front of pectoral; the inferior lateral series, unlike that of O. 

 dodecaedron, running directly toward base of pectoral. Head tapering but 

 little forward, as high as wide, 4i in length. Orbits moderate, nearly cir- 

 cular, longer than snout, a little more than 3 in head; interorbital space 

 nearly flat, nearly 2 in orbit; supraorbital and occipital ridges but little 

 developed, spineless; temporal ridge moderate; a small suprascapular 

 spine. Cheeks vertical ; 2 minute spines at border of preorbital, 1 on sub- 

 orbital, 2 rather large and sometimes a third small one on preopercle; no 

 plates on lower part of cheek; nasal spines minute, converging behind the 

 niaxillary pedicles. Median rostral plate absent; mouth very oblique, 

 lower jaw protruding, entering profile; maxillary nearly reaching pupil, 

 enlarged at tip. Teeth few and small in few rows on jaws ; none on vomer 

 or palatines. One barbel at tip of each maxillary. Gill openings large, 

 membranes united, free from isthmus. Dorsals well separated ; anal long, 

 beginning under posterior end of first dorsal; caudal about 3 times as long 

 as wide; pectoral 4| in length of body, the base more than 3 in the 

 length, with 17 to 19 rays (19 rays in 1 pectoral of a small specimen, 18 

 in the other), rounded, the lower rays rapidly shortening; ventrals of 

 female 2 in pectorals, 1^ in male; tips of rays exserted. Color, light olive 

 brown, pale below; top of head and back with minute spots and sinuous 

 streaks of darker; lower jaw and lower edge of cheek silvery; pectorals 

 dark, wnth a broad pale patch below, near base, and a broad pale tip; 

 ventrals pale in both sexes (?); rays of dorsals dark; caudal dark; pos- 

 terior part of anal dark, as in B. dodecaedron. Length 6^ inches. Coast 

 of California and Oregon, rather rare, south to Monterey. Here described 

 from specimens from coast of Oregon, taken in 24 fathoms, (qvoo, to 

 scrape; drepvov, breast.) 



* Diagnosis : Body moderately elongate, tapering uniformly from head to caudal, Shedral- 

 a little depresssd anteriorly, the depth at base of pectorals g of width, the latter 6 in 

 length: profile of head and' snout nearly in a straight line with back; head but little 

 tapering forward, 4| in body ; plates in dorsal series 35 ; between occiput and first dorsal 

 6 or 7; between dorsals 4 to 6; from ventrals to anal about 10 pairs. One barbel at tip of 

 maxillary; gill membranes free; median rostral plate wanting; nasal spines small; no 

 supraootilar or occipital spines. Color light olive brown, pale below; mandible and 

 lower part of cheek silvery. 



