348 BULLETIN 189, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



jaw with 4 strong canines anteriorly; gill rakers poorly developed; 

 lateral line complete, abruptly curved do\vnward under posterior part 

 of dorsal; scales large, fewer than 30 in a lateral series, not extend- 

 ing on head; dorsal with 9 spines; anal with 3; ventral inserted under 

 base of pectoral. 



A single species is known from Peru. 



HALICHORES DISPILUS (Gttnther) 



Doncella; San Pedrano 



Plaiyglossus dispilus Gunther, 1864a, p. 25, Panama Bay (original description), 

 Halichoeres dispilvs Evermann and Radcliffe, 1917, p. 128, San Lorenzo Island, 

 and Santa Rosa Island, Peru (synonymy; description; range). — Nichols 

 and MuBPHY, 1922, p. 511, North Chincha and Lobos de Afuera Islands. — 

 Meek and Hildebrand, 1928, p. 721, Panama Bay (synonymy; description; 

 range) . 



Head 3.5 to 4.0; depth 3.5 to 4.4; D. IX, 11; A. Ill, 12 (rarely 11); 

 P. 12 or 13; scales 26 or 27; vertebrae 24 (three specimens dissected). 



Body moderately compressed, its greatest thickness about half its 

 depth; back elevated; dorsal outline anteriorly, especially in small 

 specimens, more strongly convex than the ventral; caudal peduncle 

 much compressed, 1.9 to 2.3 in head; snout pointed, increasing in 

 proportionate length with age, 2.9 to 4.0; eye small, proportionately, 

 notably smaller in large than in small specimens, 4.0 to 7.2; interor- 

 bital 4.7 to 6.1; mouth terminal; maxillary failing to reach anterior 

 margin of eye, 3.5 to 4.4 in head; teeth in each jaw in a single series, 

 upper jaw anteriorly with 2 large canines, sometimes with a rather 

 large tooth on each side of the anterior canines, the lower jaw with 4 

 large canines anteriorly, the canines in each jaw followed by smaller, 

 partly coalesced teeth, the series in upper jaw ending posteriorly with 

 a rather large canine directed somewhat forward; gill rakers small, 

 about 12 somewhat developed on lower limb of first arch; lateral line 

 close to back, following dorsal outline anteriorly, abruptly decurved 

 to middle of side under last dorsal rays, the pores not branched; 

 scales large, with smooth membranous borders, encroaching slightly 

 on base of caudal, but not on the other fins, 2 complete rows between 

 lateral line and first dorsal spine; dorsal fin continuous, the spines 

 pungent, somewhat graduated, the last one 2.7 to 3.6 in head; soft part 

 of dorsal somewhat longer and higher than the spinous part; caudal 

 broadly convex in the smaller examples, the outer rays slightly pro- 

 duced in large examples; anal similar to soft part of dorsal, the spines 

 weak, the third 3.1 to 3.75 in head; ventral inserted under base of 

 lower rays of pectoral, 1.75 to 2.1 in head; pectoral rather large, reach- 

 ing well beyond tip of ventral, the third or fourth ray longest, 1.1 to 

 1.4 in head, 4.2 to 5.7 in length. 



Color usually uniform brown above to olivaceous below; rarely 

 with suggestions of dark cross bars on back and sides; a dark blotch 



