THE SHORE FISHES OF PERU 439 



SCORPAENA HISTRIO Jenyns 



Peje-diablo; Parlamo 



Scorpaena histrio Jenyns, 1842, p. 35, pi. 8, Chatham Island, GaMpagosArchipel- 

 ago (original description). — Evermann and Radcliffe, 1917, p. 137, Lobos 

 de Afuera, Peru (references; description; range). — Nichols and Murphy, 

 1922, p. 512, South Guaiiape Island, Peru. — Meek andHiLDEBRAND, 1928, p. 

 840 (references, description; range). 



Head 2.35 to 2.5; depth 2.9 to 3.15; D. XII, 10, A. Ill, 5; P. 19 or 20; 

 scales 45 to 47 ; 



Body elongate, moderately compressed, its greatest thickness about 

 two-thirds its depth ; dorsal profile anterior to dorsal fin gently convex ; 

 head compressed, notably deeper than broad at margins of preopercles; 

 caudal peduncle rather strongly compressed, 4.0 to 4.6 in head; snout 

 moderately broad, 3.0 to 3,6; eye large 3.8 to 4.6; interorbital deeply 

 concave, 8.3 to 11.0 or 1.6 to 2.75 in eye; mouth large, slightly oblique, 

 lower jaw included, without evident knob at tip; maxillary broad, 

 reaching vertical from posterior margin of pupil to posterior margin of 

 eye, 1.75 to 2.0 in head; teeth small, pointed, in a band on each jaw, 

 and on vomer and palatines, the band on each jaw only slightly inter- 

 rupted anteriorly; occipital pit well developed, broader than long, 

 closed at side by a well-developed ridge; spines ^^ on head moderate; 

 nasal spine fairly strong; pre-, supra-, and postocular spines rather 

 low; tympanic, parietal, and nuchal spines in a row, moderately high; 

 coronal spines wanting; a low, often double spine behind eye, followed 

 by a larger spine; 2 or 3 spines in scapular region; 2 flat spines on 

 shoulder girdle above base of pectoral, more or less concealed in large 

 specimens; preorbital with 3 spines, the anterior ones directed forward, 

 the other downward; suborbital stay evident, with only 1 blunt spine 

 at its posterior end; preopercle with 6 spines, the second from above 

 largest; opercle with 2 strong diverging spines near posterior angle; 

 gill rakers short, spiny, those at angle not more than half length of 

 pupil, 9 or 10 somewhat developed on lower and 5 or 6 on upper limb 

 of first arch; lateral line slightly decurved, missing on a scale at base 

 of caudal, and reappearing on a single scale on base of caudal, with 

 25 or 26 pores, anterior nostril with a large fringed cutaneous flap 

 behind it, the second one surrounded by a slightly raised fringed 

 margin; a broad cutaneous flap usually present behind supraocular 

 spine, very variable in length among individuals; a simple tentacle 

 variable in length, usually present behind preocular spine; a few small 

 tentacles on preocular margin and on margin of snout; a variable 

 number of cutaneous flaps along lateral line, on the scales, and above 

 base of pectoral; scales moderately large, with smooth edges, extend- 



" For names and general position of spines see insert of fig. 86. 



