THE SHORE FISHES OF PERU 189 



not of this species and are described herein as representatives of a new 

 species. The description is based on the specimen taken by the 

 Mission, and two smaller ones, respectively 117 and 145 mm. (92 and 

 111 mm. to base of caudal) long, collected at Paita by R. E. Coker. 



The two notably enlarged and strongly divergent spines at angle of 

 preopercle, with one or two somewhat enlarged spines above and be- 

 low them, seem to be characteristic of this species. 



This fish does not grow large. The usual length probably is not 

 much in excess of 200 mm. Although the report of the Mission 

 (1943, p. 276) stated that it is regarded as a first-class fish, its com- 

 mercial value seems to be small, as no landings were reported. 



Range. — Coasts of Peru and Chile. 



Genus PARANTHIAS Guichenot, 1868 



Body elongate, compressed; head short; mouth moderately large; 

 lower jaw projecting; maxillary rather broad; teeth in jaws in narrow 

 bands, 2 to 4 of the outer ones in anterior part of each jaw somewhat 

 enlarged, caninelike, fixed; villiform teeth on vomer and palatines; 

 preopercular margin finely serrate, the serrae at angle little if at all 

 enlarged, caninelike, fixed; villiform teeth on vomer and palatines; 

 slender, about 25 on lower limb of first arch; lateral line complete; 

 scales small, ctenoid on body, reduced and cycloid on head; dorsal 

 with 9 spines, mostly of about the same height as the soft rays; caudal 

 long, very deeply lunate; anal with 3 spines and 8 to 10 soft rays; 

 ventral mserted just behind pectoral; pectoral long, rather pointed. 



A single species is known from Peru. 



PARANTHIAS PINGUIS Walford 



Cabinsa 



Paranthias furcifer Evermann and Radcliffe (not of Cuvier and Valenciennes), 

 1917, p. 78, Lobos de Afuera, Peru (synonymy; description). — Nichols and 

 Murphy, 1922, p. 508, South Guanape Island, Peru (note). 



Paranthias pinguis Walford, 1936, p. 2, Guaymas, Mexico (description; compared 

 with "P. furcifer" from the Pacific coast, possibly from the Galdpagos 

 Islands); 1937, p. 118, pi. 64, fig. b (diagnosis). 



Head 3.3; depth 2.8; D. IX, 20; A. Ill, 9; P. 20; scales 110. 



Body moderately compressed, its greatest thickness a little less 

 than half the depth; back rather high; profile anteriorly convex; 

 caudal peduncle quite compressed, 2.6 in head; snout fairly pointed, 

 4.3; eye 6.6; interorbital 5.8; mouth oblique; lower jaw projecting, its 

 tip entering dorsal outline; maxillary reaching a little beyond middle 

 of eye, 2.6 in head; teeth in a narrow band in each jaw, a few of the 

 outer ones in anterior part of each jaw slightly enlarged, fixed, small 

 villiform teeth on vomer and palatines; preopercle with finely serrate 

 margin, none of the serrae especially enlarged, anterior half of hori- 



