THE SHORE FISHES OF PERU 255 



4.4 to 7.3; mouth little oblique, about terminal; maxillary extending 

 under anterior margin of eye in small specimens, far in front of this 

 point in large ones, 3.15 to 3.8 in head; teeth in each jaw in a rather 

 broad band, the outer ones in upper jaw slightly enlarged; margin of 

 preopercle rather coarsely denticulate, the spines at angle not espe- 

 cially enlarged; gill rakers shorter than pupil, 12 or 13 more or less 

 developed on the lower and 5 to 8 on the upper limb of first arch; 

 scales firm, ctenoid, missing on upper surface of snout, those on side 

 with many accessory scales on base in large examples, 6 or 7 complete 

 longitudinal series between lateral line and origin of dorsal, 4 between 

 lateral line and median dorsal series on caudal peduncle, and 5 be- 

 tween lateral line and median ventral series; 5 vertical series of 

 scales on opercle behind upper part of margin of preopercle, and about 

 8 or 9 horizontal rows on cheek below lower posterior margin of eye 

 (not always in definite series) ; dorsal rather deeply notched, the spines 

 fairly slender, the third or fourth generally longest, the latter 1.7 to 

 2.1 in head; anal spines fairly strong, the second not longer, though 

 generally notably stronger than the third, 2.0 to 3.2 in head; ventral 

 inserted immediately behind pectoral, with a slender spine contained 



2.5 to 2.7 in head; pectoral notably longer than ventral, especially in 

 adult, 1.35 to 1.4 in head, 3.8 to 4.4 in length. 



Color of a small, rather recently preserved specimen, plain gray 

 above; silvery below; dorsal and caudal somewhat dusky; other fins 

 translucent. Larger specimens preserved a long time are darker, with 

 dark lines along the rows of scales below lateral line, an obscure dark 

 shoulder spot, and with a dark margin on opercle above posterior 

 angle. 



Three specimens, respectively 90, 120, and about 215 mm. (70, 96, 

 and 172 mm. to base of caudal) long, from Lobos de Tierra Bay and 

 the Gulf of Guayaquil at Capon and Tumbes, form the basis for the 

 description. The smallest specimen was furnished by the Mission 

 and the other two by K. E. Coker. The species probably is not abun- 

 dant in Peru, though its genus is mentioned in the report of the Mission 

 (1943, p. 287) with Pomadasys, also known as "roncador," as of slight 

 commercial value. 



The specimens from Peru were compared with a rather large series 

 from Panama and from Mexico. Much variation with age and 

 growth takes place. The snout becomes very long with age and the 

 preorbital very wide ; the pectoral becomes longer; and the dorsal and 

 anal spines appear to become proportionately shorter. The following 

 proportions and enumerations are based on 11 specimens, 80 to 265 

 mm. (66 to 210 mm. to base of caudal) long. The wide range in some 

 of the proportions are indicative of relatively great changes as the 

 growth of the fish proceeds. Head in length 2.8 to 3.2; depth 3.0 

 to 3.4; pectoral 3.8 to 4.7. Eye in head 3.1 to 4.8; snout 2.45 to 3.5; 



