322 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. los 



rubrum (Poey) is scaled over between dorsal fins similar to Y. lineata. 

 He concluded that my genus Ypsigramma is a sjTionym of Choristis- 

 tium, with which opinion I fully agree. 



Therefore the generic name Chorististium mast be used for that 

 group of species in which the spiny and soft dorsal fins are separated 

 by several rows of scales. The group of species mth continuous 

 dorsal fin and eight dorsal spines then takes the next available generic 

 name, which I find to be Pikea Steindaclmer. 



Radiographs made of nearly all the specimens available to me in 

 this relationship show clearly that the vertebrae always are 10 + 14 = 24 

 and that in the genus Chorististium there are always eight dorsal 

 spines — the seventh is embedded (occasionally the tip projects 

 slightly) and is separated from the sixth and eighth spines, which 

 project. 



The three new forms have the following characters in common. 

 Dorsal fin single, distance from tip of snout to dorsal origin, 2)^ times 

 in standard length; posterior edges of scales with ctenii, head scaled 

 forward to front nostrils; basal part of soft dorsal, pectoral, and caudal 

 fin scaled; basal three-fourths of anal fin covered with scales; opercle 

 with two flattish, bluntly rounded spines; preopercle finely serrate; 

 anterior nostril tubular, posterior nasal opening, a pore at front of Qy&; 

 gill rakers slender with dentigerous rudiments anteriorly; villiform 

 teeth on jaws, vomer and palatines; caudal fin emarginate; pectoral 

 fin elongate, reaching to opposite anal fin origin; first dorsal spine 

 shortest, about one-third length of third dorsal spine; lateral line 

 arched along back below base of dorsal fin then curving downward to 

 midline of caudal peduncle; premaxillary protractile; gill membranes 

 free from isthmus but attached to it far forward; pelvic rays always 

 1,5; branched caudal rays 8+7; vertebrae always 10 + 14 = 24; seven 

 branchiostegals; pores in lateral line to base of caudal fin 45 to 49 

 (rarely 49). 



Pikca cubensis, new species 



Figure 1 



Holotype: USNiM 158138, collected by the Oregon, northeast of 

 Caibarien, Cuba, lat. 22°50' N., and long. 79°08' W., 200 to 225 

 fathoms, July 16, 1955, standard length 80.3 mm. 



Paratypes: USNM 175254, collected with holotype and bearing 

 same data; 3 specimens, 113, 83, and 58 mm. USNM 185083, Ba- 

 hama Islands, lat. 25°15' N., long. 79° 13' W., 200 fathoms, July 23, 

 1957, Combat station 445, 2 specimens, 69 and 79 mm. 



Description: Counts made on the types are recorded in table 1. 



Precision measurements were made on the holotype and paratypes. 

 These data are recorded in thousandths of the standard length, respec- 



