the scale plates of the body. The first dorsal spine, in- 

 cluding the groove representing at least part of the miss- 

 ing distal end of the spine, is at least 279 mm (53.6% SL), 

 the second at least 273 mm (52.4% SL), the third at least 

 210 mm (40.3% SL), the fourth at least 139 mm (26.6% 

 SL), and fifth, which seems complete even dis- 

 tally, 90.3 mm (17.3't SL). There are about nine dorsal 

 fin rays, of which the fourth is the longest, 79.5 mm 

 (15.2% SL). The anal fin is directly below the soft dorsal 

 fin and likewise has about nine rays, of which the third is 

 the longest, 91.3 mm (17.5'c SL). The spiny dorsal fin 

 base is about 276 mm (53'^c SL) long, while the bases of 

 the soft dorsal and anal fins are both about 57 mm (11% 

 SL) long. All but the first ray in the soft dorsal and anal 

 fins are extensively branched. 



The broadly rounded caudal fin is 133 mm (25.6% SL) 

 and has 12 rays, of which the uppermost ray and the 

 lowermost ray are unbranched and the intervening 10 

 rays extensively branched. The length of the caudal 

 peduncle (from end of anal fin base to middle of caudal 

 fin base) is 126 mm (24.1% SL) and its least depth 55.0 

 mm (10.5% SL). The greatest body depth is about 210 

 mm (40% SL). The eye is placed high in the head just 

 below the base of the first dorsal spine and has an ap- 

 proximate diameter of 39 mm (7% SL). 



There are remains of pectoral fin rays, but the number 

 cannot be counted. It is impossible to state whether a 

 pelvic fin was present or not. In redescribing the species, 



Figure H.—Parahollardia lineata: 



dorsal (left) and ventral (right) 



views of skull; composite based on 



several specimens. 45.7-86.1 mm SL, 



Gulf of Mexico to South Carolina. 



Figure 9.—Parahollardia lineata: posterior view of 



orbit (left) (cross section of skull; dashed lines 

 represent cut surfaces of frontals and parasphenoid); 

 posterior view (right) of skull: below, posterior 

 and lateral views of first abdominal vertebra: 

 composite based on several specimens, 45.7-86.1 

 mm SL, Gulf of Mexico to South Carolina. 



Zigno (1887a:4) said that there was a pelvic spine of 30 

 mm length, bent backward along the side of the body. 

 Along the lower edge of the body at the level between the 

 bases of the second and fourth dorsal fin spines, there is a 

 ridge of bone with the same type of surface granulation as 

 found on the scale plates, described below. This ridge is 

 about 173 mm long (33% SL) but is discontinuous, with 

 some segments showing surface granulations and others 

 the bone beneath the granulations. Zigno may have had 

 one of these granular segments in mind for the pelvic 

 spine. If this ridge does represent a pelvic spine, then it 

 was almost as well developed as the more anterior dorsal 

 fin spines. However, it is at least equally likely that this 

 ridge is simply the ventrolateral curved edge of the 

 carapace of scale plates that fully covers this region of 

 the body, as described below. In short, it is not known at 

 present whether Protobalistum had pelvic spines. 



The teeth are well-preserved. They are large and 

 relatively massive, some with straight or rounded distal 

 edges as in incisors but others with a distinct cusp or dis- 

 tal constricted region. The teeth with more rounded dis- 

 tal edges may represent those toward the middle of the 

 jaws that have been worn down through use. There are 

 about four or five teeth in each half of the upper and 



