^°i89i!''] PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 149 



61. Orthopristis chalceus (Giinther). 



Pristopoma chalceum Giinther, Proc. Zool. Soc. Loud. 1864, 146 (Panama). 



Pristopoma kiirri Steinrt., Iflith. Notiz. \ili, 186'.), ^ (Mtcailan). 



Pomadanija chalceus, Jordan iV (iilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mua. 1881, 387; Jordan & 



Gilbert, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mas. 1882, 6-25 (Panama); Jordan A Gilbert, Bull. U. 



S. Fish Coium. 18^2, 107, 110. 

 Orthopristis chaUeux, Jordan, I'roc. U. S. Nat. Mna. 188r>, 387; Jordan, Cat. Fishes 



N. A., 88, 188.':i. 



Head, Sin body to base of caudal ; depth 3. Dorsal, XI 1-15; Anal, 

 1 11-11. Scales, 8-55-18. 



Color in life: body gray, with nuinerous narrow, brown, wav^y lines 

 running- the direction of the scales, horizontal below the lateral line, 

 obli(iue above. 



Dark indistinct spot on the hnmeral region. Among the nnnierons 

 specimens, some had, in addition to these marks, dark indistinct cross 

 bauds or blotclies. Tbese, however, varied very mnch. 



Inside of the month, orange. Dorsal, dark brown, witii a whitish 

 stripe along about the middle of the fin, extending nearly the whole 

 length. This was mnch more distinct in some than in others. 



Each scale on the upper and anterior part of the body with a bine 

 spot with a metallic reflection. 



Body somewhat slender, compressed, deepest at below the fourth 

 dorsal spine. 



Profile of the head nearly straight, gently ascending, curved over 

 the neck to the dorsal. 



Eye, 4-4.^ in head ; snout, 2.7 ; preorbital slightly less than diameter 

 of eye. 



The maxillary does .not quite reach the anterior margin of the orbit. 



Teeth small; more than one series of curved teeth projecting beyond 

 the rest in each jaw. 



Gillrakers on the anterior arch small and slender, 8-12. 



The slit behind tb.e fourth gill is less than the diameter of the eye. 



Snout, front portion of preorbital, maxillaries, and lower jaws naked ; 

 the rest of the head covered with very suiall scales ; dorsal and anal 

 naked ; caudal, base of pectoral, and under side of ventral covered with 

 small scales. 



Posterior margin of the opercle rounded, entire, no perceptible flap; 

 po.sterior margin straight, or nearly so, very finely jxHJtinate; lower 

 limb entire, slightly rounded, making about a right angle with poste- 

 rior margin. 



Anal spines slender, the third the longest, a little longer than the 

 diameter of the eye. 



This fish is very abundant, being one of the most common species 

 taken in the seine. A considerable \ ariatiou of color is seen among 

 them. 



