140 BULLETIN 189, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



behind it; gill opening mostly lateral, fully as long as snout; dorsal 

 fin in a groove, its origin about over the tip of the short pectorals, 

 length anterior to its origin 3.35 in length anterior to vent, extending 

 nearly to tip of tail; anal fui similar to the dorsal and coterminal with 

 it; pectoral short and broad, about as long as snout, 6.7 in head. 



Color of preserved specimen light yellow, with large dark brown 

 spots on the body and tail and numerous small to minute ones on the 

 head; small brown spots also present on the ventral surface and a 

 few small dots or spots among the large spots on the sides and on the 

 back of the trunk ; back with a row of large dark blotches, interrupted 

 on median line by the dorsal fin; a second row of large dark spots 

 centered more or less on the lateral line, alternating with those on the 

 back; a third row of dark spots lower on the side, mostly below the 



Figure 32. — Ophichihus afuerae, new species. From the type, 550 mm. long, Lobos de 

 Afuera Island, Peru (U.S.N.M. No. 127836). Inserts: A, Diagram showing shape and 

 proportions; B, mouth spread open, showing the teeth. 



lateral line or extending only slightly above it; dorsal fin with elongate 

 dark spots rather longer than the pale yellowish interspaces; anal and 

 pectorals pale. 



The description is based on a single specimen, 550 mm. long 

 (U.S.N.M. No. 127836), taken by the Mission on a trawl line in about 

 20 fathoms off Lobos de Afuera Island. In color it is rather similar 

 to the specimen herein described under 0. grandimaculata, from 

 which it differs, however, in many other respects. The tail is much 

 shorter in proportion to the rest of the body, the body in general is 

 rounder, the snout is broader and projects less strongly beyond the 

 mandible, the pectoral fins are much shorter, and the teeth in the 

 lower jaw are in a single instead of a double series. 



Range. — Peru, from Lobos de Afuera Island. 



