454 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



UESCUIPTIOIV OF A JSKW SPBCIES OF XENICHTHYS (XEIVI€HTMVS 

 XENURUS) FROM THE WE«T COAST Ol" CEiVTRAIi A.TIERICA. 



By DAVID IS. JORDAN siBBd CHAKLEi^ 11. OILBEKT. 



Xenichthys xenurus, sp. nov .(4:!r)G). 



Allied to Xenichthys calif orniensis Steindacliner ; belouging to the 

 group or subgeuas, with the soft dorsal and anal short, not longer than 

 the spinous dorsal. 



Body rather deep, compressed; mouth very oblique; the maxillaiy 

 barely reaching the vertical from the front of the pupil. Teeth in Jaws 

 small, in a band in front, which becomes a single series toward the sides ; 

 similar teeth on vomer, none on palatines or tongue. 



Preorbital distinctly serrulate ; preopercle evenly and finely serrate 

 ou the lower margin and on the angle, its upright edge entire above 

 the angle; opercle terminating in two flat points. Eye \'ery large, its 

 diameter 2f in head. Gill-rakers long and slender, about tw^o-fifths the 

 diameter of the eye, their number about 9+24. 



Lateral line with a slight curve in front, not quite concurrent with 

 the back. 



Spinous dorsal very high, the spines slender and somewhat flexible, 

 the fifth and longest about two thirds length of head ; notch between 

 spinous and soft parts deep. Anal spines rather stouter than those of 

 the dorsal, the third longest, but little shorter than the first soft ray and 

 two-thirds the longest dorsal spine. Caudal deeply forked, the lobes 

 elongate, the middle rays but one third the length of the lower. 



Pectorals two-fifths length of head. Ventrals barely reaching vent, 

 their length equal to the distance from the snout to the posterior mar- 

 gin of orbit. 



Base of caudal scaly; resc of the fin as well as the dorsals and anal 

 naked, the scaly sheath of the dorsal and anal, leaving the last tJiiee 

 rays free. 



Head 3^ in length; depth 2f. D. IX-l, 11 ; A. Ill, 11; Lat. 1. r>\. 



Color olivaceous above ; silvery below. 



This species is known from one specimen (No. 435(5 IT. S. ISTat. }4iis.) 

 sent to the United States aS^atioual Museum from San Salvador, where 

 it was taken several years ago by Capt. J. M. Dow. Its small nuiabcn- 

 of fin rays distinguished it at once from X. xanti and X. agassizii, wliile 

 from X. calif orniensis it differs in numerous respects. 



Indiana University, November 22. 1881. 



