THE SHORE FISHES OF PERU 



141 



OPHICHTHUS PACIFICI (Gunther) 



Angtjila 

 Figure 33 



Ophichthys pacifici Gunther, 1870, p. 76, "Chile" and "Tambo River," Peru 



(original description). 

 Ophichthys uniserialis Cope, 1877, p. 31, Pacasmayo?, Peru (original description). 

 Ophichthus pacifici Evermann and Radcliffe, 1917, p. 25, pi. 3, fig. 2, Paita and 



Callao, Peru (synonymy; description).— Fowler, 1941a, p. 366, fig. 9 



(references; range). 



Body moderately robust in adults, somewhat deeper than broad; 

 head and trunk notably shorter than tail, length anterior to vent 2.2 

 to 2.5 in total length; head depressed, broader than deep at posterior 

 angle of mouth, its length anterior to gill opening 6.9 to 7.4 in total 

 length, 2.9 to 3.1 in length anterior to vent; depth 7.4 to 8.2 in length 

 anterior to vent, 2.3 to 3.0 in head; snout moderately depressed, 

 moderately broad, extending beyond mandible a distance about 



Figure 33. — Ophichthus pacifici (Gunther). From a specimen 680 mm. long, Paita, Peru 

 (U.S.N.M. No. 77687). Insert, mouth spread open, showing the teeth. (After Evermann 

 and Radcliffe, 1917.) 



equal to half diameter of eye, 5.3 to 6.0 in head; eye rather small, 

 lateral, 8.5 in head, 1.3 to 1.8 in snout; mouth large, the gape reaching 

 far beyond eye, 2.1 to 2.4 in head; teeth rather small pointed, in 2 

 series in each jaw, though lower jaw occasionally with a few minute 

 teeth representing a third row inside the others; vomer generally 

 with one or two pairs (often not directly opposite each other) of teeth 

 anteriorly, followed by a single series of 9 to 1 1 smaller teeth ; anterior 

 nostril with a short tube, having no fringe or definite flap; posterior 

 nostril with a broad outer flap and a very narrow inner membranous 

 border; no papilla on lip between nostrils; gill openings large, exceed- 



