66 BULLETIN 95, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



i\ Dorsal without long fllamentsous spines, not more than one 



of its spines specially produced Paralabrax, p. 73. 



h\ Ventral fine anterior, inserted more or less in advance of 



axil of pectoral, well separated ; upper half of pectoral fin 



usually vertically truncate. 



j\ Preopercle with numerous strong diverging spines at its 



angle, these spines diverging from one or two centers ; 



preorbital broader than maxillary, which is widest near 



its middle; scales rather large Diplectrum, it. 75. 



f. Preopercle simply and rather finely serrate; preorbital 



narrow Prionodes, p. 76. 



f. Gillrakers (in American species) very long, slender, and close 

 set ; lateral line running close to the l)ack. 



fc\ Dorsal spines 9, all low, the soft rays about 9. 

 Caudal fin deeply forked, the lobes produced ; scales 

 small, ctenoid ; ventrals long, inserted behind axil of 

 pectoral ; maxillary scaly ; frontal region flattish, the 

 eupraoccipital crest very prominent ,Paranthias, p. 78. 

 k*. Dorsal spines 10 or more; scales not very small; 

 preopercle angular, with salient teeth at its angle; 

 one or more dorsal spines sometimes filamentous; 

 ventral fins long Hemianthias, p. 79. 



Genus ACANTHISTIUS Gill. 



94. ACANTHISTIUS PICTUS (Tschndi). 

 CHEELO. 



riate 6. fig. 2. 



Plectropoma pictum Tschudi, Fauna Peruana. Ichth., 1845, p. 5; Coast of 

 Peru and Chile.— Gijnther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus.. vol. 1, 1859*, p. 164. 



Alphestes pictus Jordan and Swain, Proc. U. S. Nat Mus vol 7 1884 

 p. 395. 



Acanthisiins pictus Boulengek, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., vol. 1, 1895, p. 140.— 

 Steindachner, Fauna Chilensis, 1898, p. 282.— Abbott, Marine Fishes 

 of Peru. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1899, p. 348.— Delfin, Cat. Peces 

 de Chile, 1901, p. 60.— Steindachner, Herpet.-ichthyol., Ergebnisse 

 einer Reise nach Siidamerika, Denkschr. Akad. Wiss! Wien, vol 72 

 p. 26, 1902 ; Lima, Peru. 



Two specimens, field Nos. 09414-15, respectively 22.4 and 19.6 cm. 

 in length, from Guanape North Island. 



Head 2.43 in length; depth 2.5; eye 6 in head; snoitt 3.36; inter- 

 orbital 7.25; maxillary 2.18; pectoral 1.5; D. XI, 18; A III 9- 

 scales 2T-135-65. ' ' 



Body short, compressed, rather deep, dorsal outline strongly 

 arched ; depth of caudal peduncle about 3 in head ; upper profile of 

 head from tip of snout to base of dorsal, straight or slightly con- 

 cave; lower jaw slightly projecting; mouth large, protractile; tip of 



