THE SHORE FISHES OF PERU 221 



rather weak, the thhd or fourth longest, shorter than eye, origin of 

 fin over base of pectoral; second dorsal elevated anteriorly, the longest 

 rays abojt as long as postorbital part of head, the last ray somewhat 

 longer than the preceding ones; caudal fairly deeply forked, the lobes 

 nearly as long as head ; anal preceded by one more or less disconnected 

 spine, the third ray (indicated as soft in current description) about 

 half as long as the fourth, quite spinelike, fin similar in shape to second 

 dorsal, though shorter, and coterminal with it; ventral pointed, 2.05, 

 2.1 in head; pectoral long, pointed, 3.1, 3.15 in length. 



"Color in alcohol: Brownish, dusky on back and light on belly; top 

 of head black; fins dusky, axil of pectoral dark. Small individuals 

 are silvery in coloration." (Evermann and Radcliffe.) 



The Mission did not furnish specimens of this species, which, 

 according to Nichols and Murphy (see reference above) , at times at least 



Figure 49. — Neptomenus crassus Starks. From the type, 340 mm. long, Callao, Peru 

 (U.S.N.M. No. 53465). (After Starks, 1906.) 



seems to be abundant. This species is mentioned by the Mission in 

 the statistical account (1943, p. 273), wherein it is shown as entering 

 the market in fair quantities, the principal catches being reported 

 from Talara, Huarmey, Callao, Pisco, Mollendo, and Ilo. The fore- 

 going description, exclusive of color, is based on two specimens 

 (U.S.N.M. Nos. 77513, 77593), 165 and 185 mm. (123 and 142 mm. to 

 base of caudal) long, taken at Mollendo by R. E. Coker. The pro- 

 portions and enumerations based on the smaller specimen, in each 

 instance, are given first. 

 Range. — Coast of central and southern Peru. 



Genus OLIGOPLITES Gill, 1863 



Body elongate, rather strongly compressed; dorsal margin anteriorly 

 compressed, forming a sharp edge; mouth rather large, oblique; lower 

 jaw strongly projecting; premaxillaries not protractile; maxillary 

 long, very narrow; teeth on vomer, palatines, and tongue; scales 

 linear, embedded, placed at various angles to each other. 



