THE SHORE FISHES OF PERU 329 



Santa Rosa Island, and Mollendo, also are at hand. According to the 

 report of the Mission (1943, p. 275) this is the "commonest species 

 of rockfish fomid in Peruvian waters." Numerous examples were 

 reported to have been taken, where there was rocky bottom, between 

 Paita and Mollendo. The largest ones caught were about 400 mm. 

 long. WliQe no ripe females were seen, males with freely flowing milt 

 were taken at La Lagunilla on June 24. Although this fish is reported 

 to be rather bony, and for that reason not especially highly esteemed 

 as a food fish, rather large quantities are marketed, the principal 

 catches being landed at Ancon, Callao, and Pucusana. The fish may 

 be caught with trammel and gill nets and with hand lines. 

 Range. — Coasts of Peru and Chile. 



CHEILODACTYLUS ELONGATUS, new species 



PiNTADILLA 



Figure 70 



Head 3.0 to 3.2; depth 3.0 to 3.2; D. XVI or XVII, 27 to 30; A. Ill, 

 9 or 10; P. 14; the lower 6 rays simple; scales 50 to 56; vertebrae 35 

 (one specimen dissected) . 



Body elongate, compressed, its greatest thickness about half its 

 depth; profile only moderately steep and gently convex anterior to 

 dorsal fin; back narrow; caudal peduncle rather deep, compressed, 3.2 

 to 3.7 in head; snout long and pointed, 3.0 to 3.8; eye large, 4.8 to 5.3; 

 interorbital 3.8 to 4.1; mouth moderate, nearly horizontal; lower jaw 

 included, considerably shorter than the upper; lips very thick, the fold 

 of lower jaw sometimes not interrupted at symphysis; maxillary 

 scarcely reaching vertical from anterior margin of eye, 3.2 to 3.4 in 

 head; teeth pointed, in a band anteriorly in each jaw, reduced to a 

 single series posteriorly, several of the posterior teeth in upper jaw 

 somewhat enlarged; gill rakers short, very slender, 14 to 16 more or 

 less developed on lower and 5 to 7 on upper limb of first arch; lateral 

 line complete, following the contour of the back, remaining far above 

 midline on caudal peduncle; scales with smooth, membranous edges, 

 exposed surface rouglily sculptured, reduced scales extending forward 

 on interorbital, small scales present on cheek and opercle, greatly 

 reduced scales on median section of chest anterior to ventral fins, a 

 scaly sheath on base of dorsal, and a narrower one on base of anal, scales 

 covering caudal fin except distally, and extending somewhat on base 

 of pectoral, 6 longitudinal rows between lateral line and first dorsal 

 spine, and 2 rows between it and last ray of dorsal; dorsal fin continu- 

 ous, the posterior spine rather short, the sixth or seventh generally 

 longest, 3.1 to 4.2 in head; soft part of fin somewhat higher anteriorly 

 than posteriorly, the longest rays equal to or longer than the longest 

 spines; caudal forked, the upper lobe the longer, a little longer than 

 head without snout; anal small, the first two spines largely free, the 

 third closely adherent to first soft ray, the second one 4.5 to 6.3 in 



