'"'isyo'"'] pr()CEI!:dings of the national museum. 81 



40. Sebastichthys introniger sp. uov. 



Diagnosis: Scales large. Crauial ridges strong but not high ; tym- 

 panic, nuchal, and postociilar spines present. Peritoneum jet-black, 

 buccal and gill cavities mostly black. Scales very rough, and with 

 numerous accessory scales. Lower jaw projecting, with prominent 

 symi)hyseal knob. Second anal spine equaling third. 



Specific description: Body deep, couipressed, interorbital space wide, 

 but little concave, the ridges low and nearly parallel, the spines conical 

 and very strong. 



Head 2i in length; depth 2i. D. XlII, 13: A. HI, 7. Lat. 1. 30 to 

 35 (pores), about fifty-five vertical series of scales. L. 13 inches. 



Mouth large, somewhat oblique, maxillary nearly reaching vertical 

 from posterior margin of pupil, 'M- in head. The i)rominent tip of man- 

 dible fitting into emargination between premaxillaries. Bands of teeth 

 narrow on jaws, vomer, and palatines. Eyes very large, 3A in head; in- 

 terorbital width 5^ in head. 



Preorbital with a raised ridge in front of eye; anteriorly with two 

 flattened triangular lobes, sometimes bearing minute spinous points. 

 Supraorbital ridge short, flat, and low, ending over posterior border of 

 pupil. Nasal spines low; preocular not prominent; supraocular, post- 

 ocular, tympanic, occipital, and nuchal strong. Two upper preopercu- 

 lar spines appromixated, equal, directed backwards, the three lower 

 downwards and backwards. Spines on shoulder and opercles strong. 

 Gill-rakers slender, of moderate length, not close set, the longest 2^ in 

 diameter of eye. 



Dorsal spines strong, low, 3^ in length of head, the twelfth more than 

 half the longest; soft rays higher, 2^ in head. Caudal emarginate, 1| 

 in head. Second anal spine equaling third in length, but little stronger, 

 about 1^ in soft rays. Pectorals reaching to or slightly beyond veut 

 to beyond tips of ventrals. 



Scales large, everywhere very strongly ctenoid, with numerous acces- 

 sory scales, covering most of snout, maxillary mandible, branch iostegal 

 rays, and gular membrane. Vertical fins with lax membranes, closely 

 scaled. Lower pectoral rays not thickened. 



Color : Eed, with two faint wide dusky bars reaching to below mid- 

 dle of sides, one under middle of spinous dorsal, one under soft dorsal. 

 A black blotch on opercle. A small black bar under upper two pre- 

 opercular spines. Axil black. Lining membrane of mouth and gill 

 cavity largely black. Peritoneum jet-black. Soft dorsal, caudal, anal, 

 and ventrals with distinct blackish margins. Pectorals unmarked. 



Two specimens from Station 2948, in 2G6 fathoms. 



41. Sebastichthys sinensis sp. nov. 



Diagnosis : Scales moderate, tubes of lateral line forty to forty-five, 

 almost everywhere cycloid, not regularly imbricated ; cranial ridges 

 moderately high, the spines well-developed ; nasal, preocular, supraoc- 

 Proc. i^. M. 90 G 



