582 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 83 



oped in the smaller specimens, being distinctly higher and spinous, as 

 in the other species of Hippocampus, while in the three specimens here 

 assigned to hildebrandi the tubercles are much broader and lower, al- 

 though these three are considerably smaller than the smallest specimen 

 of ingens examined. The difference in appearance is very strildng, but 

 it is hard to convey an adequate verbal picture, and this difference may 

 be appreciated fully only by a direct comparison of material. After 

 familiarity is gained with the change in the appearance of the tubercles 

 on account of growth in the species of Hippocampus, a comparison 

 between the available specimens of ingens and hildebrandi will force 

 the conclusion that they represent distinct species. H. hildebrandi is 

 evidently most nearly related to obtusus from the Atlantic coast, 

 differing sharply in having more caudal segments and dorsal rays. 



Material examined and distribution. — Chame Point, Pacific coast of 

 Panama; Robert Tweedlie (82037; 82039; 82063, the type); two 

 specimens, 46 and 68 mm long without any trace of a brood pouch, 1 

 specimen 49 mm long with a rudimentary brood pouch. 



All three specimens were captured by Robert Tweedlie, whose 

 methods of collecting are described by Meek and Hildebrand,^^ as 

 follows: "* * * most of his specimens were either dipped up by 

 the sand dredge * * * or taken with the dip-net * * * i^ 

 the vicinity of the dredge. * * * the position of the dredge 

 * * * was located at the end of Chame Point, a long and very 

 narrow neck of land projecting a distance of about thirty miles into 

 the sea." Therefore, it is possible that this species has an offshore 

 habitat as was discussed for its close relative obtusus (p. 578). A fourth 

 specimen obtained by Tweedlie is a true ingens and was included in 

 the account of that species. The two Pacific coast species, therefore, 

 apparently overlap in their ranges, even though they may be found to 

 differ in their vertical distribution. 



HIPPOCAMPUS VILLOSUS Giinther 



Hippocampus villosus Guntheh, Zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Challenger, 



vol. 1, pt. 6, Fishes, p. 8, pi. 1, fig. D, 1880 (off Bahia). 

 Hippocampus punctulatus Meek and Hildebrand (in part), Publ. Field Mus. Nat. 



Hist., zool. ser., vol. 15, pt. 1, p. 255, 1923 (the specimen from Fox Bay, 



Colon, Panama, here referred provisionally to villosus.) 



Diagnosis. — First caudal segment hexangular, last trunk segment 

 octangular, penultimate trunk segment septangular like the segments 

 preceding it. In other words, an extra plate for the support of the 

 dorsal on last caudal and first trunk segments only ; or, upper ridges 

 of tail and trunk overlapping on two segments. Trunk segments 10; 

 caudal segments 34; dorsal rays 16; pectoral rays 15. Tubercles on 

 upper ridge of trunk well developed and pointed. Coronet high. 



" Publ. Field Mus. Nat. Hist., zool. ser., vol. 16, pt. 1, p. 6, 1923. 



