THE SHORE FISHES OF PERU 



247 



longer than any of the soft rays, 2.0 to 2.5 in head, soft part much 

 shorter than spinous part, with a nearly straight margin; caudal with 

 a shallow fork, the upper lobe the longer, notably shorter than head; 

 anal spines small, graduated, the second about 5.0 to 7.0 in head, the 

 soft part similar to that of dorsal, origin of fin a little behind beginning 

 of soft part of dorsal; ventral inserted just behind base of pectoral, 

 with a very slender spine, the spine 2.3 to 3.0 in head; pectoral long, 

 falcate, the fourth to the sixth rays (counting downward) longest, the 

 rays below abruptly shorter, the longest rays about as long as head, 

 3.1 to 3.7 in length in adults, proportionately shorter in young. 



Color of preserved specimens varying from silvery gray to dark 

 grayish brown above; silvery to a pale punctulate brown below; rows 

 of scales in pale specimens with dark lines, these faintly visible only on 

 lower part of side in dark specimens; fins dusky to nearly black; axil 



Figure 54. — Isacia conceptionis (Cuvier and Valenciennes). From the type of /. venusta 

 Starks, 220 mm. long, Cailao, Peru (U.S.N.M. No. 53467). (After Starks, 1906.) 



of pectoral black. In some of the specimens the iris remains red. As 

 reddish colors usually fade within a few days, it is interesting to find 

 that a specimen which has been in preservative nearly 45 years still has 

 a reddish eye. Small specimens, around 60 mm. in length, have two 

 dark longitudinal stripes and a dark caudal spot, markings character- 

 istic of many young Pomadasidae. The more prominent dark stripe 

 rem-^ains visible in specimens 140 to 160 mm. long, though the caudal 

 spot has disappeared. 



The Mission furnished 22 specimens, 140 to 300 mm. (1 10 to 240 mm. 

 to base of caudal) long, which were taken with trammel nets, gill nets, 

 seines, and hand lines. Collections were made at Lobos de Tien-a 

 Island, Lobos de Afuera Bay, Guanape Island, Pachacamac Island, 

 Chilca Bay, San Juan Bay, Atico Point, and Coles Point. It is evi- 

 dent from the localities listed here, and those given in the reference 

 cited above, that this species is rather generally distributed along the 

 coast of Peru. 



The proportions and enumerations used in the description are based 



