NO. 2049. TWO COTTOID FISHES FROM CALIFORNIA— GILBERT. 137 



ORTHONOPIAS TRIACIS Starks and Mann. 



Plate 11, fig. 2. 



Orthonopias triads Starks and Mann, Univ. of Cal. Pub. Zool., vol. 8, 1911, p. 11, 

 fig-1- 



Tliis species has been known heretofore only from the type-speci- 

 men, taken in shallow water on Cortez Banks, near San Diego. A 

 second specimen is here recorded from Monterey Bay, where it was 

 taken by a dredge at a depth of a few fathoms only. 



D. IX-16; A. 12; P. 15; V. I, 3. 



Lateral line with a series of 38 scales, the upper and the posterior 

 margbis of which are wholly free and are throughout very fuiely 

 toothed. In Astrolytes, only a part of the posterior margin is exposed 

 and this is faintly or not at all toothed. In Axyrias, both margins 

 are exposed and are serrulate, though less so than in Orthonojnas. 

 Axyrias and Astrolytes are not very well separated, for while Axyrias 

 has tjqjically a simply furcate preopercular spine, occasional exam- 

 ples develop a thhd tooth, as is always the case in Astrolytes. If 

 this character is disregarded, there is nothing essential to distmguish 

 the two genera. Orthonopias is also very closely related, but may 

 claim a certain distmction in the location of the anus, which is placed 

 well forward near the base of the ventral fins, while in the other two 

 genera mentioned it is almost immediately in advance of the first 

 anal ray. 



The longest oblique series of scales in the dorso-lateral band contains 

 14 scales, while several others contain 13. A very narrow naked 

 strip intervenes between this band and the base of the second dorsal, 

 and even this is i^artly filled with small spinous scales lying at the 

 base of the dorsal rays, one or two to each ray. 



The cirri are somewhat differently disposed than m the type. The 

 four forming a line on top of head behind each eye are present, but 

 the one behind eye is lacking. There is one on each nasal spine, 

 and one or two on each of the three lower preopercular spines. The 

 two on tip of maxillary are as described, and two are present closely 

 apposed on posterior opercular angle. There is one on shoulder, 

 behind the opercular angle, and several others scattered along the 

 length of the lateral hue. 



This species was set aside as new prior to its pubUcation by Starks 

 and Mann, and the figure then prepared is here reproduced. The 

 first two dorsal spines are here represented as much shorter than 

 those which follow. As this was apparently not true of the type, it 

 may in this specimen be due to injury, although the fin has not that 

 appearance. 



