FISHES OP WEST COAST OF PERU. 107 



diameter of orbit; teeth of lower jaw subequal, those of upper jaw 

 similar but with an outer row of a few greatly enlarged canine-like 

 teeth; border of preopercle with a few weak spinules; dorsal high, 

 second dorsal spine longest, 2.1 in head; when depressed the tip of 

 third spine reaching to origin of second dorsal; caudal S-shaped; 

 ventrals small, reaching somewhat more than one-half the distance 

 from their base to origin of anal ; pectorals long and well developed, 

 having their origin under middle of opercle and reaching to vent. 



Color: Brownish, lighter on bell}'-; fins dark, almost black. 



This species is the most abundant representative of tlie genus at 

 Panama ; apparently rare outside of Panama Bay. 



136. MENTICIREHUS COKERI, new species. 



Plate 10, fig. 2. 



Tyye. — Cat. No. 77533 U.S.N.M., 16.5 cm. long, and a paratype 

 16.7 cm. long, from Ancon, taken with seine on beach. 



Head 3.45 in length; depth 4.18; eye 6.15 in head; snout 3.63; 

 maxillary 3.63 ; preorbital 5.8 ; interorbital 3 ; D. XI, I, 23 ; A. I, 9 ; 

 scales 12-70-20, 65 pores in lateral line to base of caudal. 



In form this species closely resembles M. fanaonensis^ but is at 

 once recognized by the smaller scales; body elongate, little com- 

 pressed ; dorsal outline to base of soft dorsal evenly rounded, ventral 

 profile straighter; head short, subconical, rather depressed, inter- 

 orbital evenly rounded ; snout blunt, projecting one-half diameter of 

 eye beyond maxillaries; mouth small, inferior; maxillary reaching 

 to below middle of eye; barbel short, stout; nostrils large, anterior 

 edge of first midway between tip of snout and anterior margin of 

 eye, close to second, and provided w^ith a well-developed dermal 

 flap which reaches to the second; teeth in lower jaw in a well-de- 

 veloped band, subequal ; outer row of premaxillaries anteriorly, large, 

 canine-like, becoming smaller posteriorly; margin of preopercle 

 armed with small weak,, fleshy serrae, projecting but little beyond 

 the integument. 



First dorsal spine very small, fourth longest, 1.9 in head, when 

 depressed the fourth reaching to base of last dorsal spine, caudal 

 somewhat broken, probably S-shaped.; ventrals small, their base un- 

 der origin of dorsal, their tips reaching halfway from their base to 

 third anal ray ; pectorals short, broad, not reaching to tip of ventrals, 

 their base under posterior border of opercle, 1.33 in head; scales 

 small, regular, ctenoid; soft dorsal with a low scaly sheath at base; 

 scaly area on base of ventrals. 



Color in alcohol: Dusky brown on back and sides, belly washed 

 with brownish white; dorsals and caudal dusk}^; anal blackish 

 distally, margined with lighter; distal half of ventrals black, mar- 

 gined with lighter; distal half of pectoral black. 



