ICHTHYOLOGY OF VENEZUELA — SCHULTZ 199 



caudal peduncle; lower pectoral rays shorter, second and third from 

 bottom about half length of longest pectoral fin rays; pectoral fin rays 

 about 16 or 17 (Todos Santos Bay, Baja Cahfornia, to Monterey, Bay 

 and west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia). 



Rimicola Jordan and Evermann 



lb. Tip of snout formed by premaxillaries, which are much wider at middle of 



snout than laterally, groove arched dorsally over tip of snout; axial flap 



of skin behind pectoral fin with its upper edge attached much above the 



midbase of this fin; lower first to seventh pectoral fin rays not shortened, 



about as long as eighth or ninth from bottom. 



3a. Anterior teeth of lower jaw trifid incisors, trifid tips usually evident, except 



the middle 2 or 3 may be worn off smooth although 1 or 2 of more lateraUy 



placed incisors at front of lower jaw are always trifid. 



4o. Gill membrane attached opposite third to fifth pectoral fin rays; front 



teeth of upper jaw smooth-tipped incisors (sometimes flattened- 



coniform); front of both jaws with 1 or 2 inner rows of small conical 



teeth behind outer row of enlarged incisorUke teeth, sometimes these 



inner rows apparently represented by only 2 or 3 teeth; fleshy pad on 



outer base of pectoral fin with free posterior margin ending a little 



below attachment of gill membranes; greatest width of head 3, length 



of head 2.75 to 2.8, greatest depth of body 5 to 6, length of disk 3.5, 



all in standard length; length of disk much greater than distance from 



tip of snout to front of disk; distance from dorsal origin to midbase of 



caudal fin contained 1.75 to 1.8 times in snout tip to dorsal origin; 



anal origin under base of the third or fourth dorsal fin ray; caudal 



peduncle short, its depth about equal to its length and about 3 times 



in base of dorsal fin; dorsal fin rays 11 to 13, anal 10 or 11, pectoral 



18 or 21 (usually 19 or 20) (Gulf of Cahfornia; southern California). 



Infratridens Schultz 

 4b. Gill membranes joined opposite upper edge of pectoral fin base; incisor- 

 like teeth of both jaws with trifid tips except middle pair or two some- 

 times smooth tipped; teeth in both jaws in a single row, lateral 2 to 

 4 conical and last 1 or 2 sometimes strong canines; outer lower base 

 of pectoral fin with fleshy pad poorly developed and without any 

 trace of free margin; pelvic fins joined about halfway out fourth to 

 sixth pectoral fin rays and not near base; dermal flap in axil of pectoral 

 fin joins opposite the fourth to tenth pectoral fin ray; width of head 

 3.5 to 6, length of head V-/z to 5, greatest depth of body usually 6 to 10, 

 length of disk usually 4 to 6, all in standard length; opercular spine 

 not strongly developed and not reaching to rear of head. 



Arbaciosa Jordan and Evermann 

 ha. A pair of black spots (more or less ocellate) on back behind head over 

 pectorals usually distinct, each spot well separated; dorsal surface 

 of back in front of dorsal origin variously barred or mottled or dark 

 spotted but without 3 hourglass-shaped large dark blotches. (Species 

 inhabiting waters of Pacific coast and offshore islands.) 

 5b. Three or four large hourglass-shaped dark brown or blackish blotches 

 from in front of dorsal fin to rear of head; a fainter one sometimes on 

 top of head; side of head with 4 oblique bars and sides of body with 

 dark bars; incisors with trifid tips; dorsal rays 7 to 9; and 6 to 9 

 (rarely 6 or 9) ; pectorals 18 to 23 (West Indies; Guatemala to Brazil). 



Arbaciosa fasciata (Peters) 

 3 b. None of teeth with trifid tips. 



