256 BULLETIN 189, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



interorbital 5.0 to 6.4; preorbital 2.9 to 9.2; maxillary 2.7 to 3.8; 

 caudal peduncle 2.8 to 3.4; fourth dorsal spine 1.7 to 2.1; second anal 

 spine 2.0 to 3.3; ventral spine 2.3 to 2.9; pectoral 1.2 to 1,5. D. 

 XII, 14 or 15 (rarely 13); A. Ill, 7 or 8; P. 17; gill rakers 6 to 8 + 11 

 to 15; scales 50 to 56, 6 or 7 longitudinal rows between lateral line and 

 origin of dorsal, 4 on caudal peduncle between lateral line and median 

 dorsal series, and 5 between lateral line and median ventral series, 

 5 vertical rows on opercle behind upper part of margin of preopercle, 

 and about 8 or 9 (not always in definite series) on cheek below posterior 

 part of eye; vertebrae 26 (1 specimen from the Gulf of California 

 dissected) . 



Range. — Baja California to northern Peru. 



Genus POMADASYS Lacepede, 1802 



Body elongate, compressed; back usually not very high; eye mod- 

 erate to large; mouth rather small, terminal; maxillary usually not 

 reaching anterior margin of eye; teeth villiform, a band in each jaw; 

 margin of preopercle serrate, serrae below angle not antrorse; gill 

 rakers small, about 9 to 15 more or less developed on lower limb of 

 first arch; scales rather large, forming a low sheath at base of soft 

 dorsal and anal, no scales on membranes of these fins; dorsal with 

 about 11 to 13 spines, and about an equal number of soft rays; anal 

 with three spines and usually with 7 or 8 soft rays, the second spine 

 greatly enlarged; ventrals inserted under base of pectorals in Peru- 

 vian species (not checked for other species). 



This genus and Brachydeuterus are very close, differing principally 

 in the absence of small scales on the interradial membranes in Poma- 

 dasys. Two species of Pomadasys, both from the Gulf of Guayaquil, 

 come within the scope of this catalog. 



Two species are known from Peru. Although the Mission did not 

 furnish specimens, this genus is listed in the report (1943, p. 278) with 

 Brachydeuterus as of slight commercial value. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES 



a. Eye very large, notably elongate, about 3.3 in head; dorsal with 12 spines 

 and about 12 soft rays; about 10 gill rakers more or less developed on 



lower limb of first arch branickii (p. 256) 



aa. Eye smaller, not notably elongate, about 4.6 in head; dorsal with about 12 

 spines, and 13 soft rays; about 14 gill rakers more or less developed on 

 lower limb of first arch schyri (p. 257) 



POMADASYS BRANICKn (Sfeindachner) 



RONCADOK 



Pristipoma branickii Steindachner, 1879b, p. 28, pi. 9, fig. 1, Tumbes, Peru 

 (original description) . 



Pomadasis branicki Evermann and Radcliffe, 1917, p. 86, Capon, vicinity of 

 Tumbes, Peru (description, based on one specimen). — Meek and Hilde- 

 BRAND, 1925, p. 555, Panama Bay (synonymy; description; range). 



