216 BULLETIN 189, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



colorless except for dusky points, tke anterior lobe often white; 

 ventrals generally white; pectorals mostly colorless on outer side, 

 largely dusky on inner side. 



The Mission furnished nine specimens, 75 to 270 mm. (57 to 197 mm. 

 to base of caudal) long, collected at Puerto Pizarro, Sechura Bay, 

 and Chilca Bay. There is also at hand a large specimen, 285 mm. 

 long to base of caudal (U.S.N. M. No. 77686), taken at Lobos de 

 Tierra by R. E. Coker, and four very small specimens, 22 to 24 mm. 

 long to base of caudal (U.S.N.M. No. 107148), taken at Paita by 

 W. L. Schmitt. The proportions of the juveniles from Paita are not 

 included in the description. 



Figure 48. — Trachinotus paitcnsis Cuvier and Valenciennes. From a specimen 285 mm. 

 long to base of caudal, Lobos de Tierra Island, Peru (U.S.N.M. No. 77686). (After 

 T. paloma Evermann and Radcliflfe, 1917.) 



It is stated in the report of the Mission (1943, p. 289) that this 

 pdmpano is one of Peru's best food fishes; that it enters the commercial 

 catches in fair quantities, catches being reported from as far south as 

 Chala; and that it usually was found on fairly rough sand beaches and 

 was caught in seines, gill nets, and trammel nets, apparatus also used 

 by commercial fishermen. The average size of the individuals taken 

 by the Mission was about 200 mm. The large specimen secured by 

 R. E. Coker, which was reported to be 380 mm. long (caudal now 

 broken), may be near the maximum size attained. 



Range. — Baja California to Peru, Also reported from Valparaiso, 

 Chile, as T. paloma without comment, by Fowler (1940b, p. 768). 



Genus CHLOROSCOMBRUS Girard, 1859 



Body fairly deep, strongly compressed; ventral outline more strongly 

 convex than the dorsal, each with a trenchant edge anteriorly; mouth 

 nearly vertical; lower jaw in advance of upper; premaxillaries pro- 

 tractile; maxillary broad, with a large supplemental bone; teeth small, 

 present on jaws, vomer, palatines, and tongue; gill rakers fairly 

 numerous, slender; lateral lines with a strong arch anteriorly, with 

 or without bony scutes posteriorly; first dorsal with weak spines, 



