Pareioplite, or Mailed-cheek Fishes 643 
and is not closely related to any other. Fourteen dorsal 
spines are occasionally present in Sebastichthys elegans. All 
the other species show constantly 13. 
The genus Sebastiscus has the general appearance of Sebas- 
todes, and like the latter possesses a large air-bladder. It how- 
ever agrees with Scorpena in the possession of but 12 dorsal 
spines and 24 vertebre. The two known species are common 
in Japan. Sebastiscus marmoratus, mottled brown, is everywhere 
Fic. 539.—Banded Rockfish, Sebastichthys nigrocinctus (Ayres). Straits of Fuca. 
abundant along the coast, and the pretty Sebastiscus albofasciatus, 
pink, violet, and golden, represents it in equal abundance in 
deeper water. 
The genus Sebastopsis differs from Sebastodes only in having 
no teeth on the palatines. The species, all of small size and 
red or varied coloration, are confined to the Pacific. Sebastop- 
sis xyris occurs in Lower California and Sebastopsis guamensis 
and S. scaber in Polynesia. Species of this genus are often 
found dried in Chinese insect boxes. 
Helicolenus differs from Sebastiscus only in the total absence 
of air-bladder. The species are all bright crimson in color, very 
handsome, and live in deep water. Helicolenus dactylopterus is 
rather common in the Mediterranean, and is sometimes taken 
in the Gulf Stream, and also in Japan, where two or three other 
species occur. 
