FAMILY SCORPAENIDAE — SCHULTZ 29 



Description. — Dorsal rays XII, 9; anal 111,5; pectoral i or ii,2 or 

 3,ix to xi, or in the two smaller specimens vi,ix on both sides, rays, 

 apparently, do not branch until adult life; pelvics 1,5; caudal fin with 

 6 + 5 branched rays; gill rakers on fii'st gill arch about 5 + 1+6; 

 number of vertical scale rows from upper edge of gill opening to 

 midbase of caudal fin 40 to 43 and pores in lateral line 22 or 23; 

 cranial spines arranged as in figure 138,c in the interorbital region. 



Depth 2.6 to 2.7; head 2.3 to 2.4; both in standard length. Snout 

 3.7 to 3.8; eye 3.2 to 3.7; postorbital part of head 2.1 to 2.3; least 

 depth of caudal peduncle 3.8 to 4.0; longest ray of pectoral fin 1.3 

 to 1.6; longest dorsal spine 2.2; all in length of head. Least width 

 of bony interorbital in eye 2.1 to 2.2; least depth of caudal peduncle 

 in its length 1.5 to 1.6; next to last dorsal spine in last dorsal spine 

 1.4 to 1.6 and in longest dorsal spine 1.8 to 1.9; length of first anal 

 spine in second 2.2 to 2.3; pelvics reach notably past anus but not 

 quite to anal fin origin. 



This species has its body covered with ctenoid scales, but none 

 occur on the base of the rays of any fin; head has scales behind the 

 orbit and on the operculum, elsewhere it is naked except on dorsal 

 and partly anterior surface of eye. Large dermal flaps or cirri occur 

 on head and on a few lateral line scales; supraocular dermal flap is 

 as broad as long, but usually twice as long as broad, may be nearly 

 as long as diameter of orbit in its greatest development, or only 

 one-fourth diameter of orbit; other large dermal flaps occur regularly 

 on preopercular margin on the posterior preorbital spine, and a 

 smaller one on the maxiUary bone near its center posteriorly; second 

 anal spine heavier than and projects a little beyond third; upper 

 jaw with slight concavity at tip and lower jaw with only slight 

 symphyseal enlargement ; palatine teeth present ; longest dorsal spines 

 and soft rays about equal in length; spines at base of caudal fiji not 

 exposed ; preorbital has two prominent spines, one directed and shghtly 

 curved straight forward, the other du'ected straight downward but 

 slightly hooked forward. 



Color in alcohol. — Six or seven dark bars made up of irregular 

 blotches : first three occur on the spiny dorsal and body below, where 

 they more or less unite; first of these includes the bases of first three 

 spines and below; second includes the fourth to seventh spines, tip 

 of the thu'd, and body below the bases of the fifth to seventh spines; 

 and third bar occurs between eight to eleventh spines, continuing 

 irregularly to region of vent; a pale area occurs below bases of last 

 two dorsal spines and first two soft rays to area of anal fin origin; 

 the next two bars are most distinct and extend from anterior part 

 of soft dorsal to that of anal fin, crossing both fins, leaving distal 

 part of anal and soft dorsal pale; the fifth bar occurs at base of caudal 



