Jordan and Evcrmann.— Fishes of North A77ierica. 1825 



this light area on the sides is a narrow oblique dark one, in front of which 

 in turn is a pale one, which begins at angle of opercle a;nd divides, pass- 

 ing around pectorals and uniting below them; a light blotch under eighth 

 dorsal spine, extending up on the lin ; another at junction of the 2 dorsals, 

 and another under last ray; under each of these are irregular undulating 

 pale areas; sides with pale blotches of all sizes; head above with cross 

 shades and bands radiating from eye, its light shades tinged with purplish ; 

 fins colored like neighboring parts of body; peritoneum white. Length 

 14 inches. Coast of California, from San Diego to San Francisco ; abundant 

 in very shallow water, the young living close to the shore among rocks. 

 {carnatus, flesh-colored.) 



Sebastichthys carnatus, Jordan & Gilbert, Proc. F. S. Nat. Mus. 1880, 73, Monterey 

 (Coll. Jordan & Gilbert) ; EIGE^^VIANN & Eigenmann, West American Scientist 1889, 130. 

 Sehastodes carnatus, Jordan & Gilbert, Synopsis, 674, 1883. 



2229. SEBASTODES CHRYSOMELAS (Jordan & Gilbert). 



(Black and Yellow Eockfish.) 



Head 2|; depth 2|. D. XII, I, 13; A. Ill, 6; scales 45. Body short and 

 stout, compressed. Head short, bluntish. Mouth rather small, entirely 

 below the axis of the body; lower jaw slightly included; premaxillaries 

 on level of lower edge of orbit; maxillary reaching posterior margin of 

 eye, its length 2 in head ; preorbital wide. Cranial ridges covered with 

 thick skin, ending in strong spines which diverge backward ; preopercular 

 spines short and thick; gill rakers as in Sehastodes carnatus. Scales 

 moderate, rough, the accessory ones few; lower jaw, maxillary, nasal 

 region, and space in front of eye naked. Dorsal spines high and strong, 

 the highest 2^ in head, rather higher than soft rays, the fin deeply 

 emarginate ; second anal spine 2| in head, much stronger than third, the two 

 about equal in length; pectoral 3f in head, with very broad base, reach- 

 ing beyond tips of ventrals, which reach nearly to vent; lower pectoral 

 rays thickened; caudal truncate. Bones of skull rather thin; preocular, 

 postocular, tympanic, and occipital spines present, the ridges very high 

 and strong; parietal bones quite far apart, sometimes nearly meeting; 

 interorbital space, in its narrowest part about 5| in base of skull, concave; 

 ventral process of basisphenoid strongly developed ; mesethmoid processes 

 long, compressed, thin, elevated; base of skull straight. Pattern of 

 coloration precisely as in S. carnatus, the colors different; the light shade 

 a clear, warm, brownish yellow, with some specks of deeper orange, 

 varying from a dusky orange to olivaceous yellow, the latter color more 

 often seen on the belly; dark shade, black or dark brown, with slight 

 olive tinge ; dark color predominating on back ; membrane between third 

 and fourth dorsal spines and an area at base of these spines always pale; 

 a yellow blotch extending thence downward and backward, usually join- 

 ing the light color of belly; another light area passing from near angle 

 of opercle around pectorals, uniting below them; 3 other blotches along 

 back, 1 under eighth dorsal spine, 1 under last spine, and 1 under last 

 soft ray; from each of these, irregular pale areas extend down the sides; 



