414 BULLETIN 189, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Bay, is included in the collection furnished by the Mission, which 

 according to the number of dorsal and anal rays also belongs to this 

 species. However, it is plain gray in color, and the dorsal and anal 

 fins have dark, instead of light margins. The following proportions 

 and enumerations are based on this small "congrio": Head 5.8 in 

 total length; depth 7.25; distance from tip of snout to origin of anal 2.8. 

 Eye 3.75 in head; snout 4.5; interorbital 8.3; maxillary 2.15; width 

 of head at margin of preopercle 2.1 ; ventral 1.8; pectoral 2.0. D. 115; 

 A. 112; gill rakers on lower limb of first arch 4. 



According to the report of the Mission (1943, p. 286) this species (or 

 perhaps G. maculatus) reaches a length of about 500 mm. and is highly 

 esteemed as a food fish. Rather large catches, presumably consisting 

 of the two species of this genus recognized, and of the species of Bro- 

 tula, recorded herein, which is also known as "congrio," have been 

 reported. The fish are said to be caught almost exclusively with 

 trawl lines and to prefer muddy bottom in water 20 to 50 fathoms 

 deep. 



Peruvian examples have been identified by some authors with New 

 Zealand and Australian specimens as G. blacodes (Bloch and Schneider) . 

 However, Norman (1937, p. 112) identified specimens from the east 

 coast of South America with that species and regarded the examples 

 from the west coast as specifically distinct. As Norman had speci- 

 mens from both coasts of South America, and from Australia and 

 New Zealand for comparison, his classification has been followed 

 herein. 



Range. — Coasts of Peru and Chile. 



GENYPTERUS MACULATUS (Tschudi) 



CoNGRio; Chacha 



Ophidium maculatum Tschudi, 1845, p. 29, pi. 5, Peru (original description). 

 Genypterus chilensis Evermann and Radcliffe (not of Guichenot), 1917, p. 150, 



Guanape North Island, Pisco, and Mollendo, Peru (synonymy; description; 



discussion of relationship of this species and "G. blacodes"). 

 Genypterus maculatus Norman, 1937, p. 113, Chile (synonymy; description; range; 



discussion of relationship of species). 



Head 4.0 to 4.4 in total length; depth 5.4 to 7.9; distance from snout 

 to origin of anal 1.9 to 2.2. Eye 7.3 to 9.6 in head; snout 4.3 to 

 4.75; interorbital 5.7 to 6.8; maxillary 2.26 to 2.33; postorbital part 

 of head 1.5 to 1.55; width of head at margin of preopercle 8.5 to 10.7 

 ventral 2.2 to 2.4; pectoral 1.8 to 2.0. D. 125, 125; A. 93, 96; P. 25, 25 

 (rays counted in only two specimens) ; gill rakers on lower limb of 

 first arch 4. 



Color of old specimens brownish, with large light blotches of various 



