138 CALIFOKNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



259. Eques viola Gilbert. 

 Plate XXI, Fig. 42. 

 Eques viola Gilbert (Jordan & Evermann, 1898, p. i486). 



The present species and Stellifer illecebrosus were originally published in 

 Jordan and Everraann's Fishes of North and Middle America, Vol. II, pp. 1442 and 

 I486, from manuscript furnished by Dr. Gilbert. While being typewritten, the last 

 manuscript pages of the two descrij^tions were unfortunately interchanged, with the 

 result that the color, as well as various anatomical details ascribed to U. viola belong 

 to Stellifer illecebrosus and vice versa. In the original description of E. viola (t. c. 

 p. 1486), all should be stricken out after the word " reaching" on the fourth line 

 from the bottom of that page. The following description exactly follows the original 

 manuscript: 



Head 2^^ to 3| in length to base of caudal; depth 2^''^- to 3^5-. D. IX or X, 38 to 41; A. 

 II, 7 or 8; P. 17 to 19. Scales 50 to 54 (oblique series). 



Body narrowly wedge-shaped in section, sharply compressed towards dorsal outline, widening 

 below. Lower outline of head horizontal, straight; ventral outline a gentle convex curve to base of 

 anal, which is moderately oblique; lower outline of caudal peduncle slightly concave. The anterior 

 upper profile rises steeply in a very gentle curve to front of dorsal, thence more obliquely to front of 

 soft dorsal, where the depth of body is greatest. 



Snout compressed, with rather prominent blunt tip, which slightly overhangs the mouth. Tip 

 of snout and of mandible swollen, provided with large mucous pores, a series of five in the mandible, 

 two transverse series of five each in the snout, of which the posterior lateral pair is minute. Mouth 

 horizontal or very slightly oblique, the maxillary reaching about to vertical from hinder margin of 

 pupil, its length measured from tip of snout 2| or 2|- in head. Teeth in lower jaw in a wide villiform 

 band, a few of the outer series anteriorly slightly enlarged. Premaxillary teeth in a wide villiform 

 band, the outer series enlarged, forming moderate canines, larger than those in front of mandibular 

 band. Interorbital space narrow, its width contained 5 to 5^^ times in the head. Eye large, 4 to 4^ 

 in head. Preopercle entire, the membranous border sometimes minutely crenulate; opercle ending 

 posteriorly in two concealed points, the included opercular membrane covered with fine scales. Gill- 

 rakers short and weak, 5 above the angle, 9 to 11 movable ones below, the longest about four-ninths 

 eye. 



Mandible, gular and branchiostegal membranes, and more or less of the snout naked, the scales 

 extending forward in' some specimens to beyond the nostrils, in others scarcely beyond the front of 

 orbits. Head otherwise scaled. Lateral line following outline of back, strongly curved anteriorly. 

 The pores of the lateral line are minute, placed on small scales, irregularly wedged in between the 

 larger ones. Above the lateral line are very oblique series running downwards and backwards, and also 

 vertical series. There are about 50 of the former and 90 to 95 of the latter. Scales all ctenoid 

 except those on anterior part of breast, on lower anterior part of cheeks and on interopercle. Vertical 

 fins densely covered to near their tips with small ctenoid scales. Pectorals and ventrals with series of 

 scales on the membranes. 



Spinous dorsal short, usually nearly triangular in outline, the second spine the longest, the 

 others rapidly decreasing to the last or next to the last. Longest spine usually as long as snout and 

 eye, sometimes shorter. Soft dorsal long and low, increasing in height backwards, the longest ray 

 about 3^- in head. Depth of caudal peduncle equaling its length behind dorsal fin. Anterior insertion 

 of anal fin about under middle of soft dorsal, the length of caudal peduncle behind anal i-| to i^ in 

 head. Second anal spine strong, its length equaling distance from tip of snout to front or middle of 

 pupil and nearly reaching the tips of the soft rays. Caudal convex, the lower lobe slightly longer than 



