PARALICHTHIN^ 



163 



vomer toothless. Gill-rakers few in number, short. Dorsal fin commencing well in 

 advance of eye ; second ray in both sexes produced into a flat, ribbon-shaped filament ; 

 all the rays simple, scaled on ocular side. Tip of first interhaemal spine not pro- 

 jecting in front of anal fin. Pectoral fins unequal, that of blind side rudimentary, 

 shorter than eye. Pelvic fins rather short-based, subequal, that of ocular side on 

 median line, two anterior rays in the male produced to form flat filaments. Scales of 

 moderate size, ctenoid on ocular side, cycloid on blind side. Lateral line developed 

 only on ocular side, with a distinct curve above the pectoral fin ; a short supratemporal 

 branch ; straight part of lateral line with several broad cutaneous flaps. 

 A single species from the coast of California. 



I. PERISSIAS T^NIOPTERUS (Gilbert). 



Pldtuphrys laniopterus, Gilbert, 1890, Proc. U.S. Xat. Mus., xiii, p. 118. 



Perissias ti^niopterus, Jordan and Evermann, i8g8, Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., xlvii (3), p. 2667. 



Fig. II 



U.S.N..M. 43095 



Depth of body 2 J in the length, length of head 3f . Diameter of eye 3 J in length of 

 head ; interorbital space in the female and in very young males a narrow concave 

 groove, equal to or greater than diameter of eye in larger males (3^ inches) ; lower 

 eye well in advance of upper. Supraorbital ridge of lower eye serrated, the spines 

 being less marked in the females ; anterior edge of upper orbit similarly but less 

 strongly marked ; a strong double spine on maxillary in front of nostril, and a spine 

 near end of maxillary in the male. Maxillary not reaching front of pupil, length 

 about 3^ in that of head. 8 gill-rakers on lower part of anterior arch. 60 to 65 scales 

 in lateral line. Dorsal S6-88 ; second ray as long as head. Anal 67-70. Pectoral 

 of ocular side a little more than | as long as head, that of blind side about J as long 

 as orbit. Two anterior rays of left pelvic as long as head in male. Olive brown, 

 with numerous small irregular spots of pale grey, each with a darker border ; 3 or 

 4 dark blotches along lateral line ; about 5 pairs of pale spots, broadly ocellated with 

 blackish, along upper and lower edges of body ; male with a bright blue spot on 

 anterior profile at base of each of first 10 or 12 dorsal rays, and one on end of snout ; 

 male with a broad, oblique, dark bro%\Ti bar on blind side, from the upper antenor 

 part of which a number of narrow parallel streaks run forward towards the head ; 

 filamentous rays of dorsal and left pelvic white ; fins all speckled ; a small black spot 

 at base of median caudal rays. 



