THE SHORE FISHES OF PERU 193 



Color dark brown. Young with a pale median band extending from 

 snout to origin of dorsal, as wide as interorbital; two pale bands on side 

 of head; lower part of head, and side everywhere, with irregular pale 

 spots, those along middle of side more or less in rows; dots extending 

 on base of all the fins exclusive of the ventrals; vertical fins darker 

 than adjacent parts of body, each with a pale margin; ventral and 

 pectoral only slightly dusky. Adidt with irregular pale spots, much 

 fewer and less conspicuous than in young; no pale streaks on head; 

 fins all darker than adjacent parts of body, and none with pale margins. 



The Mission secured five specimens, four of which are juveniles, 

 only 32 to 55 mm. (24 to 41 mm. to base of caudal), and one large 

 specimen 220 mm. (180 mm. to base of caudal) long. One juvenile 

 was taken in the Gulf of Guayaquil, off Puerto Pizarro, and the rest 

 in Lobos de Afuera Bay. The large specimen differs so much from 

 the small ones, and from specimens from the Galapagos Islands, 

 Panama, and Alexico, with which it was compared, that in my opinion 

 it doubtfully belongs to the same species. It has a rather deeper, 

 narrower body, a longer maxillary (extending well beyond the posterior 

 margin of eye), and probably smaller scales, which are so deeply 

 embedded that no accurate counts can be made. As Schultz and 

 Keid (see references above), who made a special study of this genus, 

 seem to have allowed for considerable variation within the Pacific 

 coast subspecies this Peruvian specimen perhaps may also be included. 

 Although Rypiicus has been known from the Galapagos Islands a long 

 time, it apparently has not been reported heretofore from the mainland 

 south of Panama. 



Range. — Baja California to the Galapagos Islands and northern 

 Peru. 



Family APOGONIDAE: Cardinalfishes 



Body oblong or elongate; preopercle with two ridges; opercle with a 

 single spine; branchiostegals six or seven; mouth large, more or less 

 oblique; teeth villiform, occasionally enlarged, in bands on jaws, 

 present also on vomer and sometimes on palatines; lower pharyngeals 

 separate, with sharp teeth; lateral line complete; scales large, firm, 

 usually ctenoid; dorsal fins well separated, the first with six to nine 

 fairly strong spines; anal short, usually with two, occasionally three or 

 four spines; ventrals thoracic, with I, 5 rays. 



One genus is represented in Peru. 



Genus APOGON Lacepede, 1802 



Body oblong, compressed; head large; maxillary extending to or 

 beyond middle of eye; villiform teeth present on jaws, vomer, and 

 palatines; preopercular margin serrate; gill rakers fairly well de- 

 veloped, about 10 to 16 on lower limb of first arch; scales large, 

 ctenoid; first dorsal with 6 or 7 spines; anal with 2 spines and 8 or 9 

 soft rays. 



