452 BULLETIN 189, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



third, somewhat curved, 2.0 to 2.5 in head, the soft rays much longer 

 than those of dorsal, fully as long as snout and eye, uniformly 6 

 (counting the last partly divided ray as 1) ; ventral inserted immedi- 

 ately behind base of pectoral, with a strong spine about two-thirds 

 as long as the longest soft rays, the latter 1.6 to 1.8 in head; pectoral 

 reaching well beyond tip of ventral, the lower 9 or 10 rays simple 

 and thickened, the middle rays longest, 1.3 to 1.5 in head, 3.2 to 

 3.7 in length. 



The color remains about as defined in the original description: 

 "Color in alcohol, back reddish brown, becoming silvery gray below; 

 maxillary with a dark reddish brown stripe in center; another, wider, 

 parallel with preopercle, just above maxillary; indistinct traces of two 

 more behind eyes; five dark reddish brown saddles on back scarcely 

 reaching lateral line ; the first at origin of dorsal ; second under fifth to 

 sixth dorsal spines; third under ninth to twelfth dorsal spines; fourth 

 under third to tenth soft rays; fifth crossing caudal peduncle; some 

 of the scales on dark area silver gray; membrane between seventh 

 and eighth rays reddish brown; fins grayish; a brownish area on base 

 of pectoral." All the specimens, exclusive of the type, now at hand 

 have a distinct, small, dark spot on the opercle, which is not men- 

 tioned in the description quoted. 



The description is based on six specimens, 185 to 245 mm. (152 to 

 202 mm. to base of caudal) long, including the type and four para- 

 types, collected by R. E. Coker at Mollendo, and the other one was 

 secured by the WUkes Expedition at Callao. A second species, 

 S. darwini (Cramer), was described from "Mexillones, Peru." How- 

 ever, there seems to be no such locality within the present bound- 

 aries of Peru, though there is a Mejillones in northern Chile, which 

 in all probability is where S. darwini was taken. Therefore, it appar- 

 ently does not belong to the Peruvian fauna, and no description will 

 be offered. It is extremely difficult to determine from descriptions 

 wherein S. darwini and other nominal species from Chile and south- 

 ward differ from S. chamaco. Only two specimens from Chile (species 

 undetermined) are now available for comparison. Both are so badly 

 faded that color markings are virtually lacking. They do seem to 

 differ, however, in having smaller scales (about 90 above lateral line) ; 

 accessory scales are much more numerous; and the gill rakers, though 

 about equal in number, are notably longer (those at angle being 

 notably longer than pupil). 



Range. — Known only from Mollendo and Callao, Peru. 



Genus SCORPAENODES Bleeker, 1857 



This genus differs from Sebastodes in the absence of teeth on the 

 palatines. Dorsal with 13 spines, 8 to 11 soft rays; anal with 3 spines, 

 5 or 6 soft rays; cheeks and opercles covered with scales; no dermal 

 flaps on the scales anywhere. 



