474 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM 



VOL. 86 



stricted to the Pacific coast, from southern Alaska to Colombia. Only 

 Porichthys notatus occurs north of southern California and only P. 

 greenei and P. margaiitatus in the general vicinity of Panama. In 

 southern California and on the outer coast of Lower California both 

 P. notatus and P. myr'iaster occur. The center of abundance for the 

 group seems to be the region of the Gulf of California and Cape San 

 Lucas, where we find the northern P. notatus^ the Panamic P. margar- 

 itatus, and apparently 2 or 3 additional forms, one of which is here 

 named P. anah's. 



In distinguishing the species of Pmnchthys^ we have found the num- 

 ber of anal rays to be particularly useful. Series of counts of anal 

 rays have therefore been made and presented in table 1. 



ANALYTICAL KEY TO THE SPECIES OF PORICHTHYS AND 

 RELATED GENERA 



la. Dorsal spines 2. Opercle with a .single strong spine. Snboporcle small, with- 

 out a spine. Dorsal and opercular spines solid and without connected 

 poison glands. Some of the teeth caninelike. Lateral lines 4. Scaleless. 

 2a. Photophores absent. 



So. Teeth of palatine and premaxillary not directed forward; those of pala- 

 tine rather numerous and not confined to front of bone. Peru a7id 



Chile Aphos 



4a. Dorsal and anal fin free from caudal. Pectoral fin pointed medially. 

 Peritoneum white in adult. Lateral line organs, especially of dorsal 

 and anal series, fimbriate- Aphos porosus 



