FAMILY BOTHIDAE — WOODS 63 



Genus BOTHUS Rafinesque 



Bothus Rafinesque, Caratteri di alcuni nuovi generi e nuove specie di animali 

 e piante della Sicilia . . ., p. 23, 1810 (type species, Bothus rumolo 

 Rafinesque) . 



BOTHUS MANCUS (Broussonet) 



Plate 130, D 



Pleuronecies mancus Broussonet, Ichthyologia . . . [no pagination], 1782 

 (type locality, Ulictea, Anamoka Island, Tahiti). 



SPECIMENS STUDIED 



Bikini Atoll: 21 stations, 80 specimens, 36 to 286 mm. in standard length. 



Eniwetok Atoll: 4 stations, 4 specimens, 90 to 199 mm. 



Rongelap Atoll: 3 stations, 4 specimens, 142 to 220 mm. 



Rongerik Atoll: 2 stations, 9 specimens, 42 to 150 mm. 



Kwajalein Atoll: 1 station, 1 specimen, 137 mm. 



Guam: 2 lots, 7 specimens, 69 to 163 mm. 



Description. — Dorsal fin rays 95 to 103 (mode near 100); anal 75 to 

 81 (mode 77 or 78); pectoral 11 or 12 (usually 12); pelvics 6; branched 

 caudal 7 upper, 6 lower; scales in lengthwise series about 86 to 97; 

 gill rakers on first gill arch + 11 or 12. 



Depth of body 1.65 to 1.97; length of head 3.42 to 3.89; both in 

 standard length. Length of snout 4.04 to 4.34; diameter of upper 

 eye 4.32 to 4.87; least interorbital width 2.76 to 4.8; postorbital part 

 of head (hind margin of upper eye to upper edge of gill opening) 

 2.04 to 4.68; length of upper jaw 2.68 to 3.2; least depth of caudal 

 peduncle 2.53 to 3.1; length of longest dorsal rays 1.92 to 2.5; of 

 longest anal rays 1.71 to 2.59; length of middle caudal rays 1.16 to 

 1.61; length of pectoral fin 0.86 to 1.92; all in length of head. Angle 

 of upper profile with lengthwise axis of body 49 degrees in large 

 specimens to 66 in small, upper profile convex in small specimens 

 (under 50 mm.), notched in large. 



Teeth of jaws strong, pointed, close-set, slanted and curved inwards; 

 no teeth on vomer or palatines; a knob on tip of snout, on raised bony 

 margin of lower eye in old specimens, and on symphysis of lower jaw; 

 interorbital area concave; anterior margin of upper eye just behind 

 middle of lower eye in large specimens; pectoral rays all simple, upper 

 ones becoming long and filamentous in adult males; caudal fin pointed, 

 its middle rays longest; left pelvic fin inserted on anterior edge of 

 isthmus, right pelvic fin inserted beside fourth ray of left fin. 



Color in alcohol. — Upper surface (left side) light grayish with 

 numerous white dots or spots varying in size from smaller than pupil 

 to larger than eye; the larger spots made up of 2, 3, or 4 oval spots 

 joined together; a few indistinct dark brown blotches along bases of 

 dorsal and anal fins; 3 distinct large black blotches on middle of sides 

 evenly spaced, the first at posterior end of lateral line arch, the second 

 just back of middle of body, and the third about midway between 



