I'AKALICHTHIN.E 129 



Depth of body about twice in the length, length of head 4 to 4J. A blunt 

 rostral spine. Eye large, diameter 3 to 3J in length of head ; eyes separated by a 

 narrow ridge. Maxillary extending nearly to below middle of eye, length 2i in. that 

 of head. Gill-rakers very short, as broad as long ; 7 on lower part of anterior arch. 

 Scales small. Dorsal 60-62 ; anterior rays with membranous distal processes, the 

 third and fourth highest, as long as or longer than head. Anal 48-52 ; none of the 

 rays much prolonged. Pectoral of ocular side with 9 or 10 rays, length about ij in 

 that of head ; that of blind side very little shorter. Caudal pointed. Brownish, 

 spotted with darker ; 3 large, conspicuous dark ocelli on body, two along the back 

 and one near base of anal fin ; head and upper surfaces of eye-balls with vertical dark 

 stripes ; fins with dusky blotches. 



Type. — United States National Museum. No. 37668. 



Distribution. — Off the coast of Florida. 



Specimen Examined : 



I (148 mm.). Dry Tortugas. I.onglev. 



Two examples of this species were collected by the " Albatross " at Station 2317, 

 near Key West (24°25' N., 8i°46' W.), in 45 fathoms, of which the smaller (160 mm.) 

 is figured here. A third specimen was taken at Station 2373, near Apalachicola. 



Genus 12. SYACIUM. 



Syacium, Ranzani, 1840, De Nov. Pise, (2) [N'. Comm. Ac. Sci. Inst. Bonon., v], p. j8 [Syacium 

 micrurum, Ranzani] ; Jordan and Evermann, 1898, Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., xlvii (3), p. 2670. 



Hemirhombus, Bleeker, 1862, Vers]. .\kad. Wet. Amsterdam, xiii, p. 425 [Hemirhombus guineensis, 

 BleekerJ. 



Atamaca. (Jordan and Goss) Jordan, 1885, Cat. Fish. N'. Anier., p. 133 [H emirhombus pattuhts (Bean) 

 Jordan and Gilbert]. 



Body ovate or rather elongate, compressed. Eyes on the left side, separated by 

 a concave space (in adults), which is narrow in the female and more or less broad in 

 the male ; no spines on the head in either sex. Olfactory laminae in moderate number, 

 arranged transversely to or radiating from a fairly lengthy central rachis. Mouth of 

 moderate size, the length of the maxillary more than J that of head ; lower jaw slightly 

 included ; jaws and dentition about equally developed on both sides ; teeth conical, 

 curved; teeth of upper jaw biserial, those of the outer series stronger and enlarged 

 anteriorly ; teeth of lower jaw uniserial ; vomer toothless. Gill-rakers short or of 

 moderate length, few in number ; lower pharyngeals each with an inner row of long, 

 slender teeth and an outer row of smaller teeth. Dorsal fin commencing on blind side 

 of head, above posterior nostril and well in front of eye ; all the rays simple, scaled 

 on both sides. Tip of first interhsemal spine not projecting in front of anal fin. 

 Pectoral fins unequal, that of ocular side with the upper rays prolonged in the male ; 

 middle rays branched. Pelvic fins short-based, subequal, that of ocular side on 

 median line. Scales of moderate size or rather small, ctenoid on ocular side, cycloid 

 on blind side ; small supplementary scales generally present, particularly in region 

 of lateral line. Lateral line equally developed on both sides of body, without a distinct 

 curve above the pectoral fin ; no supratemporal branch. Vent on blind side, above 

 first rays of anal fin. Vertebras 35 or 36 (lo-ii + 25). 



Four species from both sides of the Atlantic and from the Pacific coast of tropical 

 America. 



Synopsis of the Species. 

 I. Anterior teeth of upper jaw forming distinct canines [Atlantic species]. 



A. Interorbital width equal to or greater than eye (mature 3'). or about | 

 eye (?) ; 46 to 56 scales in lateral line. 

 I. Depth 2j to 2| in length ; 50 to 56 .scales in lateral line ; dorsal 82- 



91, anal 65-70 ....... i. papillosum. 



