Jordan and Evcrmann. — Fishes of North America. 1SG9 



Chiropsis guttatus, Gieard, JJ. S. Pac. R. R. Surv., x, Fish., 44, 1858. 



Chirus decagrammns, Gunthee, Cat., ii, 92, 1860. 



Ghirus constellatus, Gunther, Cat., ii, 92, 1860. 



Hexagrammus decagrammus, Jordan &. Gilbert, Synop.sis, 645, 1883. 



'225'.>. HEXAG'RAMMOS OCTOGRAMMUS (Pall.is). 

 (Alaska Greenfish.) 



D. XIX, 23; A. 24; P. 19. Body lanceolate; bead conic, compressed; 

 snout obtuse, tbe upper jaw tbe longer ; eyes large ; gill membrane notched ; 

 the vertex and opercles finely scaly; scales on body nioilerate, very rough 

 as in Hexaf/rammos steUeri. Dorsal subcontinuous. Lateral lines 4, the 

 first and. second along the back parallel with the median lateral line 

 from head; the first chain-like; the second conspicuous, disaiipeariug 

 near end of soft dorsal; the third from gill opening ending opposite the 

 middle of caudal fin ; the other from throat to caudal joining its fellow of 

 the opposite side and running simple forwnrd to throat. Body yellow- 

 ish below, above and on dorsal with many dark spots; back suboliva- 

 ceous; first dorsal reddish, second with dark spots; pectoral translucent; 

 ventrals tipped with l)lack. Found around Kamchatka in the Bay of 

 Avatcha, and the jiort of St. Peter and Paul, and. not less abundant 

 around, the Aleutian Islands; called Terirugh (file) on account of the 

 roughness of its scales ; called in Aleutian Idc/ajak. Collected by D. Merk. 

 (Pallas.) Dr. Gilbert has the following notes on this species: "This 

 species is closely related to H. slelleri, differing conspicuously in shape, 

 color, and fin formuhe. H. stelleri is very slender in shape, tapering rap- 

 idly from below front of spinous dorsal backward to the very slender 

 caudal peduncle. In H. oclogrammttn the dei)th is greater and diminishes 

 very slowly backward, the body tapering gradually into a high com- 

 pressed caudal peduncle. The vertical height of the latter eqnals dis- 

 tance from the tip of snout to the unddle or beyond middle of eye in R. 

 octjgrammua, while the same measurement is less than lengtli of snout in 

 H. stelleri. In H. octogrammus the snout is shorter and more bluntly 

 rounded, the eye is smaller, the mouth smaller, and the cheek shorter and 

 wider. The squamation is also more complete, the cheek being entirely 

 invested, except for the area immediately overlying the suborbital stay. 

 (Gilbert.) Tlie following notes are taken from specimens recently col- 

 lected: Fourth line of pores forking in advance of base of ventrals, the 

 lower branch running to V)ase of anal fin, where it ends, the upper branch 

 usually short, ending opposite middle of ventrals, rarely longer. Second 

 line reaching middle of second dorsal. Scales very roughly ctenoid, 

 except on breast, prepectoral region, and sides of head; 7 or 8 scales in 

 an oblique series between median lateral line and the one altove it. Lower 

 line forked in front of middle of ventral fin. Caudal densely covered with 

 comparatively large scales to behind middle of fin, the scales in single 

 series except on middle rays. Supraorbital flap large, coarsely fringed, 

 equaling or exceeding vertical diameter of eye. Eye very small, .5| in 

 head in adults. Caudal peduncle deep, its depth greater than length of 

 snout; the caudal fin very broad, rounded behind, even when the fin is 

 closed. Dorsals deeply notched. Adults usually deep brown, with black- 



