594 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 83 



has more rays than usual for zosterae, bat it falls within its range of 

 variation (see table 5). The number of filaments in zosterae as well 

 as all other species of Hippocampus depends on individual variabil- 

 ity (see p. 511). The spines as shown on the figure are not strikingly 

 different from those in zosterae. Besides the relative development 

 of spines differs markedly with age and sex. That leaves only the 

 longer snout to be considered. The figure of rosamondae does show 

 the snout longer and the eye smaller than usual in zosterae, but there 

 is considerable individual variability in that respect, and in females 

 it is usually somewhat longer than in the males. Some of the speci- 

 mens of zosterae examined have the snout nearly as long as in the 

 figure of rosamondae. On the basis of the available evidence, there- 

 fore, it seems that rosamondae was based on a specimen ol zosterae. 

 At any rate, the allegedly specific differences given in the original 

 description fall within the range of variation of zosterae. 



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