560 NEW FISHES FROM PACIFIC COAST GILBERT. 



black ocellated spots between fourth aud fifth dorsal spiues. Pectoral 

 mostly dusky, light at base below, aud edged with white. A dusky 

 blotch ou outer portion of lower caudal lobe. 



Several specimens taken in shallow water in the Gulf of California. 



27. Careproctus melanurus sp. uov. 



Diagnosis. — Sucking disk very small, three-fifths diameter of eye, 

 immediately below which it is inserted. It is separated from the vent 

 by less than its own diameter. Eye 4 in head (in specimens 6 to 7 

 inches long). Mouth very broad, horizontal. Pectorals not notched, 

 the lower rays exserted and elongate, but the median ones not evi- 

 dently shortened. Gill openings confined to region above base of 

 pectorals. 



Color light rose-red ; the tail with the posterior ]>ortions of dorsal and 

 anal, the inner face of pectorals, the mouth and gill cavities jet-black. 



Description. — Head heavy, with vertical cheeks, short bluntly- 

 rounded snout, and very broad flat interorbital space. Width of inter- 

 orbital space slightly more than half length of head. 



Mouth very broad, horizontal, with short lateral cleft, the maxillary 

 reaching to below middle of eye. Width of mouth equals length of 

 snout and eye. Teeth short and strong, in narrow bauds in both jaws; 

 except at symphysis, the teeth of the bands are arranged in regular 

 series running from inner edge of jaw forwards and sidewards. Tongue 

 and roof of mouth papillose and toothless. Gill rakers tubercular. 



iifostrils single, in a very short wide tube, which is nearer eye than 

 cleft of mouth. 



Gill opening oblique, entirely above base of pectorals, the length of 

 slit equaling snout and half eye. 



A series of six pores along under side of mandible and interopercle ; 

 none on preopercle. Three above premaxillary, and two pairs on snout. 

 No pores along side of body. 



Sucking disk extremely small, little more tlian half diameter of orbit, 

 its center and the middle of pupil equidistant from tip of snout. The 

 disk is separated from vent by a trifle less than its own diameter. 



Pectorals forming a continuous lamella, following the margin of gill 

 flap and lower jaw, the two fins becoming closely approximated in 

 front of sucking disk. The fin is not notched, the rays decreasing 

 regularly forwards. Eight to ten of the anterior rays are exserted and 

 elongated, the anterior four or five becoming again shorter and thicker, 

 and wholly free from the membrane. Pectorals scarcely reaching front 

 of anal, two-thirds to three-fourths length of head. 



Dorsal beginning over gill slit, the distance from origin of anal to 

 snout, 2^ in length. Dorsal about 58 ; A. 50 ; P. 30. The tins are en- 

 veloped iu thin lax skin, so that it is impossible to count rays accu- 

 rately without dissection. Posterior dorsal and anal rays well over- 

 lapping base of caudal, their membranes joining middle of caudal rays. 



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