THE SHORE FISHES OF PERU 485 



SPHOEROIDES ANNULATUS (Jenyns) 



TamborIn 



Tetrodon annulatus Jenyns, 1842, p. 153, Chatham Island, Galdpagos Archipelago 



(original description) . 

 Spheroides annulatus Evermann and Radcliffe, 1917, p. 132, Paita and Tumbes, 



Peru (synonymy; description; range). 

 Sphoeroides annulatus Meek and Hildebrand, 1928, p. 816, pi. 78, fig. 1, Panama 



Bay (synonymy; description; range). 



Head 2.7 to 2.9; depth at vertical from base of pectoral about 3.3 

 to 3.9; D. 8; A. 7; P. 16. 



Body rather robust, its width and depth about equal at base of 

 pectoral; head large, its width and depth about equal at eyes, its 

 dorsal profile convex; caudal peduncle compressed, 3.05 to 3.2 in 

 head; snout long, blunt, 1.5 to 1.9; eye very small, 6.4 to 7.4; inter- 

 orbital broad, flat, 2.5 to 2.9; mouth mostly transverse; lower jaw 

 included; teeth variable, the margin rather straight in both jaws, to 

 decidedly produced anteriorly, rather well separated at median suture 

 to very close together; lateral line branched anteriorly, forming a loop 

 extending from near corner of mouth, paSsmg between the nostril 

 and eye, and vertically downward a short distance behind eye, this 

 branch continuing across the main lateral line to lower lateral angle 

 of head, the main line running rather high and following the general 

 contour of the back to base of caudal, slightlj^ undulating; small 

 prickles, showing the two "roots" at base as short cross ridges, present 

 on dorsal surface from interorbital to dorsal fin, the prickles much 

 less evident in one specimen than in the others; prickles rather larger 

 than those on back covering ventral surface from behind chin to 

 vent; dorsal fin high, the anterior rays longest, 1.75 to 2.0 in head; 

 caudal broadly convex, the upper lobe angulate, the lower one 

 rounded ; anal similar to dorsal, though a little smaller, inserted about 

 under middle of dorsal, its longest ray 1.9 to 2.3 in head; pectoral 

 broad, margin of upper two-thirds of fin nearly straight to slightly 

 convex, the lower four or five rays notably shorter, the longest rays 

 2.1 to 2.3 in head, 5.8 to 6.4 in length. 



Color dark brown above; pale underneath; a pale band across 

 upper surface of snout at about midlength; another one across head 

 just behind eyes, bent backward and downward to gill opening, a third 

 one at nape, bent downward and backward behind base of pectoral, 

 a fourth one just behind head, joined with lateral horizontal bands 

 meeting at origin of dorsal; an ellipse on top of back inside the figure 

 just described; the ellipse with a median forward projection extending 

 to the first cross band in front of the ellipse; sides with many roundish 

 dark spots, extending on back, but obscure in the darker areas; dor- 

 sal, anal, and pectoral fins pale; caudal dusky, becoming darker 

 distally. The foregoing color description is based on the smallest 



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