DESCETPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF EOCKFISH, 

 SEBASTICHTHYS BKEVISPINIS, FROM ALASKA. 



By Tarleton H. Bean, M. D., 



Curator of the Department of Fishes. 



In 1882 Capt. Henry E. ISTicliols, of the U. S. ISTavy, made a collec- 

 Hou of fishes in Alaska and British Columbia for the U. S. National 

 Museum. A catalogue of the species obtained by him was published 

 in these Proceedings,* and among the number is a rockfish (No. 32004, 

 U.S.N.M.) from Hassler Harbor. In the catalogue referred to the 

 species was named " SebasUchthys jfrorioer, Jordan and Gilbert, subspe- 

 cies brcris2}inis, nov." After comparison with S. prorUjey it was found 

 to differ from that form in having the peritoneum white and the second 

 anal spine shorter than the third. 



The next notice of the fish was published by Dr. D. S. Jordan in 

 18S4.t In that notice it was mentioned as a distinct species, with 

 reference to the differential characters first brought to notice by the 

 Ijresent writer. 



This species is fully distinguished from *S'. irrorlger and other known 

 forms of the genus, and may be characterized as follows: 



SEBASTICHTHYS BEEVISPINIS, Bean. 



Sehastichthi/s proriger subspecies hrevi^jylnis, Bean, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Vl, 

 p. 359, 1883. 



The type of the species is No. 32004, U.S.N.M., the specimen being 

 370 millimeters (14J inches) in length, including the caudal fin. 



In spirits the back is pale rusty brown; the sides below the lateral 

 line are paler; the belly is whitish. Traces of dark color on the mem- 

 brane of the spinous dorsal; the soft dorsal, pectorals, ventrals, and 

 anal pale. Some traces of brownish on the caudal membranes. 



Body elongate, compressed, its greatest height two-sevenths of the 

 length without caudal; its greatest width one- third length of hea4. 

 The caudal peduncle is short, its least depth five-sixths of its length 

 from end of soft dorsal to base of middle caudal rays. The head is 

 similar to that of 8. proriger in shape, its length being contained two 

 ! and two-thirds times in total without caudal. 



* Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vi, 1883, pp. 353-361. 

 tRept. U. S. Commr. of Fish and Fisheries, 1884, p. 107. 

 Proceedings of the U. S. isTational Museum, Vol. XVII— No. 1027. 



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