350 BULLETIN 189, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



slightly inferior; maxillary failing to reach anterior margin of eye, 

 4.5, 4.0 in head; teeth in each jaw in a single series, upper jaw an- 

 teriorly with 2 and the lower with 4 canines, these followed laterally 

 by smaller, partly coalesced teeth; gill rakers rather poorly developed, 

 about 9 or 10 on lower limb of first arch; lateral line rather close to 

 back, following dorsal outline anteriorly, abruptly decurved to middle 

 of side under posterior rays of dorsal, some of the pores branched; 

 scales large, with smooth membranous borders, encroaching slightly 

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

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

 slender, graduated, the last one 2.5, 2.9 in head; soft part of dorsal a 

 little longer, higher tha,n the spinous part, caudal slightly convex; 

 anal similar to soft part of dorsal, but scarcely as high; ventral inserted 

 under base of pectoral, 1.9, 1.8 in head; pectoral broadly rounded, 1.4, 

 1.3 in head. 



Color pale olivaceous, scarcely darker above than below; a small, 

 vertically elongate spot immediately behind eye; a dark blotch on 

 opercle; an indefinite dark bar under anterior spines of dorsal, extend- 

 ing on the fin; several other indefinite dark markings on side and back; 

 a rather large black spot on base of anterior soft rays of dorsal with a 

 slight bar on back and side below it; dorsal fin (except for the black 

 spot and the dark anterior spines), caudal, and pectoral olivaceous; 

 anal and ventral somewhat dusky. 



The description is based on the only specimens, two young adults, 

 45 and 50 mm. (36 and 41 mm. to base of caudal) long, in the Peruvian 

 collections. These were secured by the Mission in a small rocky cove 

 on Lobos de Afuera Island. Numerous specimens from Panama Bay, 

 and one from Gorgona Island, Colombia, are before me for comparison. 

 The following proportions and enumerations are based on 15 speci- 

 mens, 40 to 135 mm. long, from the last mentioned localities: Head 

 3.5 to 4.0 in length; depth 3.3 to 4.0; pectoral 4.5 to 5.3. Eye 4.0 to 

 5.0 in head; snout 2.65 to 4.75; maxillary 3.2 to 4.8; pectoral 1.2 to 1.4. 

 D. IX, 11; A. Ill, 12; P. 13; scales 2-26 or 27; vertebrae 24 (two 

 specimens dissected). Except for the absence of a canine tooth in the 

 posterior part of the upper jaw, and a difference in color, this species 

 is strikingly close to Halichores dispilus. 



Range. — Gulf of California to northern Peru. Previously reported 

 from only as far south as Panama Bay. 



Family SCARIDAE: Parrotfishes 



Body oblong, more or less compressed, generally rather robust; 

 mouth terminal or nearly so; lips not thickened, the upper one often 

 double at least laterally; teeth in jaws coalesced, at least at base, 

 usually forming a continuous plate, with or without one or more free 

 canines above the cutting edge; no teeth on vomer or palatines; lower 



