FAMILY SOLEIDAE — WOODS 73 



and 3 along ventral margin; opercle with some dusky coloring, numer- 

 ous minute spots of dusky color scattered over head and body. 



Remarks. — A. whitakeri appears to be quite closely related to A. 

 kobensis Steindachner and to ^4. smithi Woods. It differs, however, 

 from the former in having a larger number of scales in the lateral 

 line and in the longer pelvic fin rays; it differs from A. smithi in the 

 lack of an overhanging snout, in the shape of the pelvic fins, and in 

 having a larger number of dorsal and anal fin rays. A. whitakeri 

 differs from other species of Aseraggodes, which have the eyes close 

 together and a similar number of scales and fin rays (i.e. A. melanostic- 

 tus Peters and A. normani Chabanaud), in the shape of the pelvic fins. 



Named in honor of Dr. Douglas M. Whitaker of Stanford University. 



ASERAGGODES SMITHI, new species 



Figure 151 



Holotype. — USXM 141766, Rongerik Atoll, Bock Island, ocean reef, 

 June 27, S^6-237, Schultz and Herald, 18.5 mm. 



Description. — Dorsal rays 67; anal 44; pectorals absent; pelvics 5 

 on eyed side, 4 on blind; caudal rays iii,6-6,iii, scales in lateral line 

 about 65, not fully imbricated; gill rakers rudimentary. 



Measurements expressed in thousandths of standard length are 

 given in table 128. Depth of body 2.57; length of head 4.12; both in 

 standard length. Snout (anterior margin of lower eye to tip of 

 upper jaw) 3.0; diameter of lower eye 3.74; interorbital space not 

 measured, less than diameter of pupil, eyes close together; postorbital 

 part of head 1.87; length of upper jaw 2.8; depth of caudal peduncle 

 2.04; length of longest dorsal ray 1.55; length of longest anal ray 

 1.95; length of middle caudal rays 0.94; length of pelvic rays 2.04 

 all in length of head. 



Dorsal fin originating on snout directly in front of anterior margin 

 of upper eye; snout overlapping lower jaw slightly; upper jaw some- 

 what curved, its posterior end reaching just below anterior margin of 

 lower eye; nasal tentacle short, less than diameter of pupil; a narrow 

 membrane with short papillae forming fringe along lower margin 

 of head from chin to opercular opening; lateral line straight, on 

 blind side with a dorsal branch running from snout, following dorsal 

 outline and ending at base of 16th dorsal ray; under side of head 

 with papillae only around mouth and along this dorsal branch of 

 lateral line; interorbital space very narrow, concave, about 5 mm. 

 separating eyes; right pelvic fin with longer base than left, both fins 

 free; anal papilla displaced to left, free; pelvic fins very close to papilla 

 but not joined to it by a membrane; many of dorsal and anal fin rays 

 branched, scales all ctenoid. 



748-328—66 6 



