324 BULLETIN 18 9, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



This species is close to 0. fasciatus, a Japanese species. Upon com- 

 parison of two specimens from Japan (140 and 195 mm. long) with 

 the Peruvian material, it was found that fasciatus has 12 dorsal 

 spines, whereas all the specimens of insignis at hand have only 11. 

 Furthermore, the mouth is smaller, as the maxillary does not reach the 

 vertical from the anterior margin of the eye, which it does in insignis 

 of similar size, and it is contained 3.4 to 3.5 in the head. The anterior 

 rays of the soft parts of the dorsal and anal are produced, forming 

 acute lobes, making the margins of the fins concave, whereas the lobes 

 are rounded and the margins are straight to slightly convex in insignis 

 of the same length. The caudal fin is more deeply concave in fasciatus, 

 the ventral fins are more sharply pointed; scales do not extend nearly 

 so far on the vertical fins; instead of 6 dark bars, it has 7, the first 4 

 being situated as in insignis, the fifth being narrower and wholly in 

 advance of the caudal peduncle, making room for the additional bar 

 on the middle of the peduncle; and the ground color is plain er.^" 



It is stated in the report of the Mission (1943, p. 277) that the 

 "loro" occurs in "limited quantities in the northern part of Peru." 

 It is reported also that "it is rarely, if ever, seen in the markets." The 

 largest example taken was "about 75 cm. long." 



Range. — Coast of northern Peru and the Galdpagos Islands. 



Family APLODACTYLIDAE 



Body oblong; branchiostegals 5 or 6; teeth in the jaws compressed, 

 flat, tricuspid, wanting on vomer and palatines; gills 4; scales cycloid, 

 small, generally more than 75 in a lateral series; dorsal fin divided 

 with about 15 to 17 spines and about 20 soft rays; anal with 3 spines 

 and 6 or more soft rays; ventral inserted far behind pectoral, with 1 

 spine and 5 soft rays; several of the lower rays of pectoral simple 

 (undivided), with the tips free and more or less thickened. 



Genus APLODACTYLUS Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1831 



Body quite elongate, compressed; back moderately elevated; pre- 

 opercle entire; opercle with a single flat spine; gifl membranes some- 

 what united, free from the isthmus; teeth broad, tricuspid, in series in 

 each jaw; scales quite smaH, 100 or so in a lateral series, many smafl 

 scales on cheek and opercle; anal with about 8 to 10 soft rays. 



Several species have been described, though not well differentiated. 

 The specimens from Peru that were studied quite certainly are all of 

 one species. 



ao According to Fowler (U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 100, vol. 12, p. 219, 1933) 0. fasciatus may have 11 or 12 

 spines, or according to his figure only 10, the dark bars vary in shape and number, and no dark marblings 

 or reticulations are mentioned in his description or shown in the four color phases illustrated by him. 

 Power's statement that fasciatus has a naked interorbital and that it therein differs from insignis is not true 

 of the specimens now at hand, in all of which minute, somewhat embedded scales cover the interorbital. 



