FAMILY SOLE ID AE — ^WOODS 71 



Scales ctenoid on both sides; head on blind side with numerous 

 close set papillae; caudal fin almost free from dorsal and anal fins, 

 these connected to caudal by membrane at bases; most of dorsal and 

 anal rays branched at tips; snout rounded, not overlapping lower jaw; 

 premaxillary curved ; eyes close together, upper eye slightly in advance 

 of lower, interorbital space concave, scaled; length of nasal tentacle 

 about half diameter of eye; lateral line of eyed side straight, simple, 

 on blind side, lateral line extending forward to tip of snout, though 

 interrupted, a branch going off from its anterior end dorsally and 

 following outline of dorsal, interrupted several times and finally 

 disappearing about 37th dorsal ray; pelvic fins symmetrical, free from 

 anal, their bases short, oblique, not set in midline; caudal fin, rather 

 pointed, lanceolate. 



Color in alcohol. — Generally light brownish, head and body mottled 

 with patches of dark brown arranged more or less along dorsal and 

 ventral edges and middle of sides, fainter irregular brown patches 

 between these, everywhere minute round or oval light spots; vertical 

 fins with dusky brown edges, more or less pale mesially and with a 

 brown line along anterior margin of ray every few rays; blind side 

 pale yellowish brown. 



Remarks.- — ^Although this specimen agrees very well with the de- 

 scription given for A. melanostictiis (Peters), it is identified with 

 uncertainty because of the additional lateral line which was not 

 mentioned by Peters and because of the symmetrical, free pelvic fins. 



ASERAGGODES WHITAKERI, new species 



Figure 150 



Holotype. — USNM 141765, Rongelap Atoll, Kieshiechi Island, north 

 end, lagoon coral head at depths of 20 feet, poison and spear, July 

 24, 1946, S-46-285, Brock and Herald, 38 mm. 



Description. — Dorsal rays 72; anal 51 ; pectorals absent; pelvics 6 on 

 right, 5 on left; caudal ii,7-7,ii; scales in lateral line (counting from 

 above gill opening to base of caudal rays) 72; gill rakers rudimentary. 



Measurements expressed in thousandths of standard length are 

 given in table 128. Depth of body 2.45; length of head 4.2; both in 

 standard length. Snout 4.28; lower eye 4.09; interorbital not meas- 

 ured; eyes in contact above very narrow concave scaled area; postor- 

 bital part of head 1.92; length of upper jaw 4.5; depth of caudal 

 peduncle 2.0; length of longest dorsal ray 1.63; length of longest anal 

 ray 1.67; length of middle caudal rays 0.82; length of longest pelvic 

 ray 1.8; all in length of head (tip of snout to posterior margin of 

 opercular membrane). 



Dorsal fin originating directly in front of anterior margin of upper 

 eye; upper jaw curved but snout not hooked over lower jaw; upper 



