284 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol 38. 



PLEURONICHTHYS CCENOSUS Girard. 



This species differs from PleuronichtJiys ritteri in having no bony 

 tubercle on the anterior end of the interorbital ridge ; a greater number 

 of dorsal and anal rays; a greater number of scales; a shorter dis- 

 tance across both orbits; a shorter caudal peduncle; a lower, more 

 symmetrical, dorsal, and ventral outline of body; a less abruptly 

 protruding snout ; and (in the specimens at hand) in having the usual 

 spot at the middle of the lateral line absent. 



Head 3 to 4 in length of body without caudal; depth 2. Long 

 diameter of upper orbit 2§ to 3£ in head; maxillary 4; length of 

 caudal peduncle to base of lower caudal rays 8 to 8J; its depth 2. 

 Number of dorsal rays 70 to 74; anal rays 50 to 5.3; scales in series 

 below lateral line 80 to 91 ; gill-rakers 4 + 10 or 1 1 . 



Body oval in outline, the curve symmetrical with the snout scarcely 

 projecting as it does in Pleuronichihys ritteri. There is a prominent 

 angle at the posterior end of the mandible. The interorbital ridge 

 is rather high and without spines save for a rather blunt one at the 

 posterior end pointing backward and somewhat downward. Behind 

 the upper eye is a small blunt tubercle not very prominent. The 

 nostrils of opposite sides are three times as far apart as from the 

 dorsal fin. There are three or four rows of teeth on the blind side of 

 each jaw, and one row on the eyed side of the mandible, but no teeth 

 on the eyed side of the preniaxillarv. The dorsal is inserted just at, 

 or a little above, the level of the point of the snout, and about six 

 rays are on the blind side. The right ventral is posterior to the 

 left a fourth or a fifth of the long diameter of the upper orbit, and 

 nearer to the ventral ridge than its fellow. The caudal peduncle is 

 short and deep; measured to the marginal caudal rays its length is 

 contained eight times in the head. 



The scales are small, nowhere closely imbricated, but much less so 

 in large individuals than in small ones, especially along the outer 

 margins of the body. The lateral line has a short branch running 

 anteriorly, and a longer one running posteriorly along the base of the 

 dorsal fm to opposite its middle. 



Color in alcohol dark brown with mottled, blended spots, slightly 

 darker in color, especially at the middle of the lateral line, at the l>ase 

 of the caudal, and at the bases of the vertical tins posteriorly. A 

 slightly dusky blotch is present on the caudal fm. The blended 

 dusky blotch at the middle of the lateral line is not conspicuous as in 

 /'/< wronicMhys ritteri. 



Here described from specimens from San Francisco and San Pedro, 

 California, from S to L'U inches in length 



