Jordan and Evcrmann. — Fishes of North America. 1785 



middle rays longest, reaching beyond ventrals to about tenth dorsal spine ; 

 caudal emarginate. Bones of skull thick ; spines all absent, except pre- 

 ocular, which is sometimes present, ridges obsolete except the parietal, 

 which are low and weak, somewhat curved, the parietals meeting or 

 slightly separated; interorbital space broad, evenly convex, 2f in base 

 of skull ; mesethmoid processes small, somewhat compressed, not elevated ; 

 ventral process of basisphenoid rudimentary; base of skull very strongly 

 curved. Slaty black, becoming paler below the lateral line; sides more 

 or less mottled; tips of lower jaw black; top of head with 3 indistinct 

 cross bars, extending on the cheeks; a dark bar on anterior edge of oper- 

 cle; fins all dusky ; peritoneum black. Length 14 inches. Puget Sound 

 to San Diego ; the most abundant species of the family about San Fran- 

 cisco; found in rather shallow water, {nvdrrf^, a priest, from the dark 

 color.) 



Sebastichtys mystinus, JoEDAN & Gilbert, ProcTJ. S.Nat.Mus. 1880, 455, and 1881, 56, 70 



San Francisco. (Type, No. 26965. Coll. Jordan & Gilbert.) 

 Sebastodes mystinus, Joedan & Gilbert, Synopsis, 659, 1883. 



Subgenus ACUTOMENTUM, Eigenmann & Beeson. 



2186. SEBASTODES ENTOMELAS (Jordan & Gilbert). 



Head Sj- ; depth 3| ; pectoral 3| in head. D. XIII, 15 ; A. Ill, 8 ; scales 65. 

 Body oblong-elongate, back little arched. Caudal peduncle slender. Pro- 

 file less steep than in S. oralis, snout blunter. Mouth small, short maxillary 

 extending to below middle of eye, its length 2^ in head; lower jaw pro- 

 truding, its tip entering the profile ; preorbital very narrow, without spine. 

 Eye large, less than interorbital space, 4 in head. Cranial ridges mostly 

 covered by the scales ; preopercular spines small, directed backward ; oper- 

 cular spines small; jaws, preorbital, and snout with small scales. Gill 

 rakers numerous, long and slender, their length about f diameter of eye. 

 Dorsal spines very low and slender, longest ;ibout 3 in head, fin moderately 

 emarginate; soft dorsal long and low, not much higher than spines; cau- 

 dal lunate; aual low, its second spine stronger than third, but not so high, 

 3i in head; pectorals moderate, reaching beyond ventrals, not to vent. 

 Bones of skull rather thick, ridges all absent except the parietals, which 

 are low and weak; preocular, supraocular, postocular, tympanic, and 

 parietal spines usually present, weak; parietal bones scarcely meeting; 

 interorbital space broad, 3 in base of skull, convex; ventral process of 

 l)a8ispheiioid weakly developed in young (rudimentary in adults) ; meseth- 

 moid processes somewhat compressed, not elevated; base of skull very 

 strongly curved. Dull olive green ; sides with obscure, round, rusty spots ; 

 belly, lips, and lower parts tinged with creamy ; obscure light and dark 

 shades across cheeks ; 2 or 3 obscure dark vertical bars ; fins all dusky, 

 somewhat reddish tinged; lower half of pectoral reddish; peritoneum jet- 

 black. Length 12 inches. Coast of California, Point Concepcion to Mon- 

 terey Bay, in deep water; rare, {evrog, within; jusXai;, black.) 

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