THE SHORE FISHES OP PERU 



191 



three. The single large specunen, the paratype of P. pinguis, 360 mm. 

 long, is somewhat deeper than any other at hand. As it is much 

 larger than other specimens examined, the largest of which is 255 mm. 

 long, the difference may in part result from the greater age and size. 

 I have, for the present, identified the Panama and Peruvian material 

 as P. pinguis, where it may remain at least until more specimens be- 

 come available from Mexico. For the specimens from the Galapagos 

 Islands I am using the name P. colonus (Valenciennes, 1855, p. 300), 

 originally described from those islands. Although the original de- 

 scription of this species is very brief, it states that there are 120 scales 

 in a lateral series, which according to the present study is diagnostic. 

 I am following the common practice of calling the West Indian speci- 

 mens P. furcifer (Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1828, p. 261), originally 

 described from Brazil. The West Indian and the Galdpagos repre- 

 sentatives certainly are more closely related than the mainland form 

 of the Pacific coast. The species recognized may be identified from 

 the following comparison: 



Paranthias pinguis 



Scales rather large, 95 to 

 114 vertical series above 

 lateral line and base of 

 caudal, average 108.4 

 in 19 specimens; re- 

 duced in size on opercle; 

 small and more or less 

 embedded on chest. 



Depth 35 to 38 percent of 

 length. 



Depth of caudal peduncle 

 11.7 to 12.7 percent of 

 length. 



Snout 5.8 to 7.2 percent 

 of length. 



Caudal fin 26 to 28.5 per- 

 cent of total length. 



D. IX, 19 or 20 (rarely 

 21). 



A. Ill, 9 or 10. 



Paranthias colonus 



Scales small, 118 to 130 

 vertical series above lat- 

 eral line, average 124.2 

 in 17 specimens; re- 

 duced in size on opercle; 

 small and more or less 

 embedded on chest. 



Depth 31 to 35 percent of 

 length. 



Depth of caudal peduncle 

 10 to 11 percent of 

 length. 



Snout 5.5 to 7.0 percent 

 of leneth. 



Caudal fin 25 to 30 per- 

 cent of total length. 



D, IX, 19 or 20 (rarely 

 21). 



A. Ill, 10. 



Paranthias furcifer 



Scales small, 123 to 130 

 vertical series above la- 

 teral line (only 2 speci- 

 mens at hand) ; not 

 notably reduced in size 

 on opercle; scarcely re- 

 duced on chest, and not 

 embedded, the margins 

 being free. 



Depth 31.5 to 34 percent 

 of length. 



Depth of caudal peduncle 

 10.5 to 11.5 percent of 

 length. 



Snout 4.8 to 5.9 percent 

 of length. 



Caudal fin 23.5 to 25 per- 

 cent of total length. 



D. IX, 17 to 19. 



A. Ill, 8 or 9. 



It is Stated in the report of the Mission (1943, p. 276) that the name 

 "cabinsa" is used also for Isacia conceptionis, a species of the family 

 of grunts, and that the two are not separated in the statistical reports. 

 As the Mission apparently failed to take P. pinguis, and R. E. Coker 

 took only one specimen, it probably is not numerous, and it may con- 

 stitute an unimportant part of the commercial catch. 



Range. — Gulf of California to northern Peru and the Galdpagos 

 Islands. 



