46 PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. [1885. 



haps it should be considered as a subgenus under Parexoccetus, but in 

 any regard it seems desirable to allow it a distinct name. 

 But one species is known. 



ANALYSIS OF SPECIES OF FODIATOR. 



a. Snout long, about half longer than eye, 2^ in head; lower jaw much projecting, 

 the half-l>ea,k at its symphysis about one-third the length of the snout. Origin of 

 ventral tin midway between posterior margin of preopercle and last caudal ver- 

 tebra. Pectoral fins half length of body, their tijjs reaching a little past front of 

 dorsal; the first ray simple, about f length of the fin, the second ray divided. Ven- 

 trals li in length of head, their tips scarcely reaching front of anal. Dorsal and 

 anal fins inserted opposite each other, the base of the anal slightly shorter than that 

 of dorsal. Dorsal fin high, its longest ray 1^ in head. Head 3^ in body ; dei^th 5 ; 

 eye3f in head. Color blue above, silvery below. Pectoral fins black on their pos- 

 terior half, shading into lighter posteriorly ; a large black blotch on the upper f of 



anterior rays of dorsal ; ventrals and anal white; caudal dusky acutus, I. 



1. Fodiator acutus. 



Exoccctus acutus, Ciwiev & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss., 1849, 125 (Surinam; 

 Nice) ; Giinther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. 1866, 281 (about 100 miles off Fer- 

 nando Po). 



Hahitat. — Tropical America; "? Mediterranean. 



This interesting species is known to us from a single specimen in the 

 museum of the Academy. It is 6^ inches in length, and was brought 

 by Dr. Ruschenberger from Panama. 



Genus II.— PAREXOOCBTUS. 



Parexoccetl:s, Bleeker, Nederl. Tydschr. Dierk. iii, 1865, 105 (mento). 



This genus appears to be sufficiently distinct from Exocoetus, differing 

 ,in the form of the body as well as in the dentition. The species are 

 small in size and apparently few in number. 



ANALYSIS OF SPECIES OF PARBXOCCETUS.* 

 a. Pectoral fins of moderate length, their tips not reaching past middle of dorsal fin; 

 origin of ventrals behind middle of body, their tips about reaching first ray of 

 anal; body not augulated, elliptical in section; roof of mouth with teeth; 

 snout short, shorter than eye, not pointed ; lower jaw jiot produced. 

 &. Ventrals inserted at .a point midway between pupil and last caudal vertebra, their 

 tips reaching slightly past front of anal. D. 12 ; A. 13. First ray of pectoral 

 about f length of second, which is divided ; dorsal fin very high; its anterior 

 rays reaching base of caudal; caudal short; lower jaw little obtuse, with a 

 very slight symphyseal knob. Body deep blue above ; fins all pale, except the 



dorsal, which has a large black blotch on its anterior rays mesogaster, 2. 



bb. (Ventrals inserted at a point midway between tip of snout and base of caudal, 

 their tips reaching first ray of anal. D. 11, A. 13. Snout very short ; lower 

 jaw with a very small pninted tubercle at the chin ; pectoral fins half length 

 of body ; dorsal high and pointed MENTO.) 



* For purposes of comparison, we add here the characters of the type of the genus, 

 Parexocoetus mento, from the Pacific. The latter species may perhaps not be dis- 

 tinct from Ji. mesogaster. E. brachypterus, Solander, a species provided with two short 

 barbels at the chin, is doubtless identical with E. mento, as already suggested by Dr. 

 Giinther. As Valenciennes states that the little tubercle at the chining, mento " forms 

 a vestige of half-l)eak before the mouth," we do not venture to place it in the syn- 

 onymy of E. mesogaster. 



