PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 287 
DESUBIPTION OF SEVEN NEW SPECIES OF SEBASTOID FISHES, 
FROM THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA. 
By DAVID S. JORDAN and CHARLES H. GILBERT. 
The Sebastoid fishes of the coast of California have been referred by 
Professor Gill to four genera: Sebastodes (type paucispinis), Sebastosomus 
(type melanops), Sebastomus (type rosaceus), and Sebastichthys (type nigro- 
cinctus), the first separated by the small size of the scales, the others 
mainly differentiated by the degree of development in the spines of the 
head. The genus S¢bastodes we consider valid, referring to it only 
paucispinis, although the affinities between paucispinis and the group 
termed Sebastosomus are not remote, as is shown by the smooth head, 
protruding lower jaw, small scales, and longer anal finin the latter group. 
The discovery by us of numerous additional species not known to 
Professor Gill renders if evident to us that the groups Sebastosomus and 
Sebastomus cannot be maintained as genera distinct from Sebastichthys, 
and that, in-order to recognize them as subgenera even, a different dis- 
tribution of the species must be adopted. 
The Californian species known to Professor Gill are distributed by 
him as follows: 
Genus SEBASTODES. 
paucispinis. 
Genus SEBASTOSOMUS. 
melanops. 
simulans. 
flavidus. 
ovalis. 
pinniger. 
Genus SEBASTOMUS. 
elongatus. 
rosaceus. 
ruber. 
auriculatus. 
nebulosus. 
Genus SEBASTICHTHYS. 
nigrocinctus. 
The following arrangement expresses our present views as to the 
relations of the species known to us, so far as it can be shown ina linear 
series. 
Genus SEBASTODES. 
paucispinis. 
Genus SEBASTICHTHYS. 
Series (or subgenus) Sebastosomus. 
melanops. 
