FAJVIILY SCORPAENIDAE — SCHULTZ 33 



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

 caudal fin 40 to 42, and pores 20 to 21. 



Depth 2.7 to 2.8; head 2.4 to 2.6; both in standard length. Snout 

 3.3 to 3.7 ; eye 3.5 to 3.7 ; postorbital part of head 2.3 to 2.3 ; least depth 

 of caudal peduncle 3.8 to 4.0; longest ray of pectoral fin 1.3 to 1.4; 

 longest dorsal spine 2.2 to 2.3; all in length of head. Least width of 

 bony interorbital 2.0 to 2.2 in eye; least depth of caudal peduncle in 

 its length 1.6 to 1.8; next to last dorsal spine in last dorsal spine 1.1 to 

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

 second 1.8 to 2.0; pelvics reach to or slightly past anus but not to anal 

 origin. 



This species has an abundance of dermal cu-ri on cranial spines and 

 on scales of body; usually supraocular cirrus is well developed, longer 

 than diameter of orbit. Pectoral fin rays do not branch at so small 

 a size as in some of the other related scorpaenid fishes, so that for the 

 specimens herein recorded, no branched rays were noted. Concave 

 notch at tip of upper jaw small or lacking and symphyseal knob at 

 tip of lower jaw very small; spines at base of caudal fin not exposed; 

 palatine teeth present; preorbital bone with one spine pointing forward 

 and one curved aft. 



Color in alcohol. — Body, head, and fins mottled with brownish to 

 blackish, with white or pale flecks; most characteristic color marking 

 for this species is white with darkish bars across miderside of head. 



Remarks. — S. hynoensis was a rare species in the northern Marshall 

 Islands and the small specimens recorded herein are not positively 

 identified by us as S. hynoensis. Sebastapistes nivifer Jordan and Scale, 

 type USNM 52053, appears to be the same as S. hynoensis. S. laotali 

 Jordan and Scale is a distinct species, lacking the development of the 

 supraocular tentacle but closely related to S. hynoensis. 



Genus SCORPAENOPSIS Heckel 



Scorpaenopsis Heckel, Ann. Wiener Mus., vol. 2, No. 1, p. 158, 1839 (type species, 

 Scorpaena nesogallica Cuvier and Valenciennes). 



SCORPAENOPSIS GIBBOSA (Bloch and Schneider) 



Plate 126,C 



Scorpaena gibbosa Bloch and Schneider, Systema ichthyologiae . . . , p. 192, 

 pi. 44, 1801 (type locality, America). 



SPECIMENS STUDIED 



Bikini Atoll: 2 stations, 2 specimens, 76 and 110 mm. in standard length. 

 Rongelap Atoll: 2 stations, 3 specimens, 109 to 148 mm. 

 Eniwetok Atoll: 2 stations, 2 specimens, 65 and 134 mm. 

 Guam: 3 lots, 3 specimens, 40 to 85 mm. 



Description. — Dorsal rays XII, 9; anal 111,5; pectoral i,4 or 5,ix to 



