DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF FISH, BLEEKBEIA 



GILLI. 



By Tarleton H. Bean, M. D., 



Curator of the Department of Fishes. 



This species of sand-ljince is described froin eleven examples belong-* 

 iug- to the U. S. National ^Museum. The locality is doubtful, the data 

 being lost, but it is probable that they belong- to Dr. Stimpson's collec- 

 tions from the Pacific. The largest example is five inches long, the 

 smallest three inches. 



BLEEKERIA GILLI, new species. 



Diagnosis.— D. 47; A. 22 to 24; P. 15. Scales 97, of which 90 are in 

 the lateral line; transverse rows 3 to 14. The scales are regularly 

 imbricated and the skin is entirely without longitudinal folds. The 

 lateral line is wanting on the last six or seven scales; it ascends 

 abruptly over the pectoral and follows not far from the dorsal outHne, 

 terminating between the end of the dorsal and the origin of the caudal. 



Gill-rakers numerous, smooth along posterior margin, long and slen- 

 der, the longest about as long as the eye. Branchiostegals 7. Pseudo- 

 branchiii' large, about 20 laminae. The pectoral reaches to the thirteenth 

 row of scales, its length equal to length of eye and snout combined. 

 The maxilla extends to below the front of the eye; intermaxilla very 

 protractile, forming about two-thirds of the length of upper jaw. 

 Labial fold of mandible well developed. Head naked. Dorsal and 

 anal received in a deep sheath, A small, thin, ovate flap between the 

 anal and the genital opening, this flap covering the latter opening. 



Eye large, one-fifth of head, greater than interorbital space. Tip of 

 preoi^erculum produced into a short, triangular flap. Suboperculum 

 with three well-defined radiating striae. Angle of preoperculum with 

 several raised tubular ridges. Many of the scales, especially posteri- 

 orly, with coarse denticulations around the exposed margin. Head 

 one- fourth of total length without caudal; greatest depth one-half 

 head, nearly one-eighth of the standard body length. The distance of 

 the dorsal origin from the tij) of snout nearly equals the length of the 



Proceedings of the U. S. National Museum, Vol. XVII— No. 1028. 



629 



