652 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. 59. 



Poey, is known from a single specimen obtained from deep water off 

 Habana. In the new genus, Vesposus, the form of the body and 

 fins is essentially the same, as is also the aquamation. The genus 

 is apparently distinguished by the strong, hooked spines along the 

 bases of dorsal and anal, and by the much larger ventral fins. Other 

 apparent points of difference seem to be of specific value only. The 

 name, vesposus, waspy, alludes to the dry scales, suggesting the mate- 

 rial of a wasp's nest. 



Family CHAETODONTIDAE. 



LOA, new genus. 



Allied to Chaetodon Linnaeus, but with the anterior dorsal spines 

 thickened at base, the third and fourth greatly elevated and all 

 higher and stronger than in Chaetodon. 



Type of the genus. — Loa excelsa, new species. 



LOA EXCELSA Jordan, new species. 



Type.— Cat. No. 84094, U.S.N.M., 2 inches in length; head, 2\ in 

 body; depth, \\; dorsal rays, XI, 23; anal III, 18; scales, 12-50-15. 



Form and appearance of a Chaetodon, the body greatly compressed 

 and elevated, snout short, sharply exerted, the profile behind nearly 

 straight to front of dorsal, the cranium above eye slightly convex. 

 Eye as long as snout, 3| in head; mouth very small, with slender 

 teeth; bones of head entire; preorbital moderate, entire, sheathing 

 the maxillary; bones of head generally all covered with small scales; 

 lateral line strongly arched, ceasing at root of caudal peduncle. 

 Dorsal spines very strong, unequal; the third longest and strongest, 

 one-third longer than head; the second and third thickened at base, 

 longer than third, 1^ in head. Soft rays of dorsal and anal high, 

 but not produced, the first of dorsal slightly longer than last spine; 

 the posterior outline of both fins almost vertical, the last rays rapidly 

 shortened; soft dorsal and anal closely scaled at base, the margin 

 naked; some scales on bases of dorsal spines, especially the last five, 

 caudal very short, rounded, 1| in head. Pectorals long, nearly as 

 long as head, reaching sixth soft ray of anal; ventrals large as long 

 as head, inserted just before pectorals. 



Color gray, perhaps yellow in life; with broad dark black-edged 

 cross bands, snout dusky, paler behind in front of eye; a broad black 

 band dark-edged from front of dorsal across eye to suborbital region, 

 next a pale area, broadened below, having the form of an inverted 

 V, from second dorsal spine to ventral spine, then a broad dusky 

 bar, covering space from third to seventh dorsal spine, this bordered 

 before and behind by a narrow sharp black streak; a clear white or 

 yellow band as wide as eye from last dorsal spines to anal spines; a 

 dark streak behind this, then a broad dusky space covering most 



