Jordan and Evcrniann. — Fishes of North America. 1391 



iuuer concave; the other teeth of the jaws similar, but grow progress- 

 ively smaller backward toward the iiiside of the mouth ; incisors without 

 conspicuous roots behind; all the teeth somewhat movable, as in (i'xrella; 

 no molar teeth; vomer, palatines, and tongue with patches of minute 

 viiliform teeth; gill rakers slender, rather long; dorsal spines low, in a 

 slight groove, about 10 in number, gradually increasing in height to the 

 sixth, then decreasing; soft iiart of the fin elongate, much longer than the 

 spinous part, not falcate, the longest ray | base of the soft-rayed part of 

 lin, the fin pointed behind; anal comparatively short, its base 3J in body, 

 its rays III, 19; anal spines small, graduated, the soft rays numerous; 

 caudal lunate; scales thinnish, adhei'cnt, with smaller ones intermixed; 

 pyloric c;pca extremely numerous; air bladder small ; branchiostegals 7. 

 This genus contains a single species which belongs to the C'alifornian 

 fauna. Its nearest relative seems to be the Australian genus Afyjnchihjis, 

 Giinther, which has a different tin formula (D. XI, 15; A. Ill, 15), and the 

 middle dorsal spines much longer, about i of head. These fishes siiow 

 Home analogies to the Chalodoiitidfr in form and dentition and in the 

 scaling of the fins. The osteology is, however, much as in Kyjjhosiis and 

 (iirella, and is essentially Percoid. The post-temporal is short and thick, 

 not anchylosed in the skull. (Spanish medialnna — half moon, the vernacu- 

 lar name of the typical species in California.) 



17«9. MKDIALUXA C'ALIFORIVIENSIS (Steindacliner). 



(^SIkdialuna; Half Moon.) 



Head 83 ; depth 2J; eye small, 5 in head, Ij. in snout. D. IX-I, 22; A. 

 111,19; scales 9-58-12. Body ovate- elliptical, its outlines regular; head 

 bluntish, rounded, the profile strongly convex; maxillary narrow, not 

 reaching front of eye; preorbital narrow; mouth small, terminal, hori- 

 zontal; jaws with broad l)ands of slender teeth, the outer compressed, 

 narrowly lanceolate, without evident roots behind; outer teeth similar, 

 growing smaller backward, all somewhat movable; vomer, palatines, and 

 tongue with patches of minute teeth; gill rakers slender, rather long, 

 about 6-(-17; preopercle entire. Dorsal spines low, the middle spines 

 highest, scarcely longer than eye ; soft dorsal low, not elevated in front, 

 little higher than spines ; anal low ; caudal Innate, the upper lobe slightly 

 longer; pectorals s'hort and narrow; ventrals rather small; scales thin- 

 nish, adherent, with smaller ones intermixed; sides, top of head, and jaws 

 closely scaled. Color blackish, with steely luster ; paler, and often mottled 

 below; sides with faint oblique vertical lines of spots; fins blackish. 

 Coast of southern California, from Point Conception southward to Cerros 

 Island. This handsome fish is abundant on the rocky coasts of southern 

 California. It reaches a length of about a foot, and is a food-fish of good 

 quality. 



Scorpis calif orniensis , Steindachner, Iclitli. Beitr., in, 19, 1875, San Diego; Jokda.n &. 



Gilbert, Synopsis, 562, 1883, and elsewhere. 

 Ccesiosoma cnlifornieyise, Jordan, Cat. Fisb. K. A., 92, 1885. 

 Medialuna californiensis, Jordan & Fesler, I. c. 537. 1893. 



