GILBERT AND STAKKS — FISHES OF PANAMA BAY 107 



dovii and ccesius, these fins ;ire densely scaled to their tips. The pectorals are short, 

 not nearly reaching vertical from tips of vcntrals, their length Ij? in head. The 

 scales on the back are in series parallel with the lateral line, but lose their regularity 

 under the soft dorsal. There are 5^ or Oi series between the lateral line and the 

 base of the spinous dorsal, and 46 to 48 scales in the lateral line. 



197. Anisotremus caesius (Jordan d- GilOerl). 



This species, known hitherto only from the types taken at INIazatlan and one 

 specimen from Acapulco, was found to be abundant among the islands in Panama 

 Bay. It is readily distinguished from its nearest relatives in the Pacific by its uni- 

 form coloration, its longer dorsal fin, and its very long falcate pectoral. The preorbital 

 is also wider, four-fifths diameter of eye. None of our specimens show trace of dark 

 bars. The description of the types answers well to our specimens, but the maxillary 

 extends to middle of eye, instead of " not quite reaching to front of eye." Of nine 

 specimens examined, all had 12 dorsal spines; there were eight with 16 dorsal rays, 

 one with 15; seven with 10 anal rays, two with 9. The third anal spine is longer 

 than in dovii or pacifici, protruding beyond the wide basal sheath for two-fifths 

 length of head. The caudal is much more deeply forked and the upper lobe more 

 decidedly the longer; the median caudal rays are slightly less than half the upper. 



198. Anisotremus dovii {Giinther). 



Occasionally brought to market. 



The normal fin-formula in this species is: dorsal XI, 14; anal III, 9. We 

 have no specimen with 12 spines, but this variation is to be expected. The soft 

 dorsal varies to 15, but apparently not to 16. The type was described as having 12 

 dorsal spines and 16 rays. The vertical fins are scaled to their tips, but the anterior 

 half of each ray, with a narrow strip of the membrane preceding it, is naked. Where 

 the rays fork distally, they become entirely invested. There are 64 horizontal series 

 of scales between the lateral line and the middle of the spinous dorsal. The pectorals 

 do not extend to opposite tips of ventrals, Ig^ in head. 



This species is very close to A. pacifici, but differs in the longer sharper 

 snout, larger dorsal and anal spines, greater scaliness of the fins, the presence of but 

 9 anal rays, and the intenser color of the bands. 



199. Anisotremus interruptus {Gill). 



We have two specimens, one 23 cm., the other 43 cm. long. They throw no 

 additional light on the relation of inlerruptus to its Atlantic representative siirina- 

 mensis. In both specimens, the scales above the anterior portion of the lateral line 

 are conspicuously enlarged, an oblique series downward and backward from first dor- 

 sal spine containing but 7 scales. Specimens of suriiiainensis have somewhat smaller 

 scales, and are darker in coloi", especially on the fins. These are slight differences, 

 however, and may well prove inconstant. The species interruptus should be accepted 

 only provisionally. 



