108 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.99 



COLEOTROPIS BLACKBURNI. new species 



Pejerret db mab 

 Figure 15 



Holotype. — U.S.N.M. No. 123205, a specimen 82 mm. in standard 

 length, collected in the Gulf of Venezuela at Jacuque Point, by the 

 U. S. S. Niagara on January 26, 1925. 



Paratypes. — U.S.N.M. No. 123207, 4 specimens 45 to 65 mm. in 

 standard length, collected in the Gulf of Venezuela at Point Macolla, 

 by the U. S. S. Niagara, April 19, 1925; U.S.N.M. No. 123206, 2 

 specimens, 36 to 37.5 mm., collected in the Gulf of Venezuela by the 

 U. S. S. Niagara, April 4, 1925. 



Description. — Detailed measurements were made on the holotype 

 and one paratype, and these data, expressed in hundredths of the 

 standard length, are recorded in table 16. 



Greatest depth of body 4.8 to 5.25, head 4.5 to 4.75, both in standard 

 length; snout 3.25 to 3.5, orbit 2.8 to 3.5, interorbital 2.8 to 3, all in 

 length of head; premaxillary a little curved, causing gape of mouth to 

 be somewhat concave; mouth of moderate size, the posterior tip of 

 maxillary reaching to under front margin of orbit; gill rakers rather 

 slender, the longest about equal to diameter of pupil; rear margin of 

 pupil at or very slightly in advance of midlength of head; pelvic fin 

 insertions about equal distance between anal origin and upper angle 

 of pectoral fin base; anal fin origin equidistant between midbase of 

 caudal fin and near middle of length of snout; first dorsal origin con- 

 spicuously behind a vertical line through anal origin, about over base 

 of second branched anal ray; second dorsal origin over beginning of 

 last third of length of anal fin base; pelvic fins reaching from one-half 

 to two-thirds the way to anal origin but not quite to anus; anus is 

 located a very short distance in front of anal origin but much closer 

 to anal origin than to base of pelvics; the body cavity and air bladder 

 notably do not extend posteriorly to opposite the anal fin origin; the 

 ascending premaxillary process is broadbased, and triangular in shape; 

 pectoral fins pointed reaching about halfway out length of pelvics; 

 interorbital space slightly convex; belly somewhat compressed, not 

 fully rounded ; posterior margins of scales entire, not crenulate ; silvery 

 lateral band much wider than pupU anteriorly, then partially con- 

 stricted on caudal peduncle and narrower than pupil, thence a little 

 wider before ending at base of caudal fin ; least depth of caudal peduncle 

 not quite twice in its length; lower jaw a httler shorter than upper, 

 and a little included; teeth small, in upper jaw in two rows, these 

 separated by a narrow nondentigerous space, those in lower jaw in two 

 rows anteriorly, becoming one row on sides; the posterior end of 

 dentary scarcely elevated; a scaly sheath along base of anal fin, two 

 scales wide anteriorly. 



