264 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.87 



Promicropierus nigripinnis=^R. nigripinnis Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila- 

 delphia, 1863, p. 164. 



Promicropierus nigripinnis Jordan, Evermann, and Clark, Rep. U. S. Comm. 

 Fisher, for 1928, pt. 2, p. 317, 1930. 



Rhypticus maculatus Gill (non Holbrook), Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 

 1862, p. 251 (Cape San Lucas); 1863, p. 164. 



Rhypticus xanti Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1862, p. 250 (Cape 

 San Lucas, Lower California); 1863, p. 164. — Jordan and Gilbert, Proc. 

 U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 5, pp. 359, 371, 1882.— Jordan, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 

 vol. 8, p. 377, 1885; Rep. U. S. Comm. Fish and Fisher, for 1884, p. [85], 

 1885. 



Rypticus xanti Jordan and Eigenmann, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., vol. 8, p. 339, 

 1890. — Jordan, Starks, and Williams, Contr. Biol. Hopkins Lab. Biol. 

 Mem., vol. 1, p. 452, 1895. — Jordan and Evermann, Rep. U. S. Comm. 

 Fish and Fisher, for 1895, app. 5, p. 379, 1896; U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 47, pt. 

 1, p. 1231, 1896 (description based on U.S.N. M. No. 7740).— Meek and 

 Hildebrand, Marine fishes of Panama, pt. 2, p. 481, pi. 48, 1925. — Jordan, 

 Evermann, and Clark, Rep. U. S. Comm. Fisher, for 1928, pt. 2, p, 316, 

 1930. — Breder, Bull. Bingham Oceanogr. Coll., vol. 2, art. 3, p. 24, 1936. 



Promicropierus decoratus Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1863, p. 164 

 (west coast of Central America). 



Rhypticus decoratus Gunther, Trans. Zool. Soc. London, vol. 6, pp. 383, 385, 

 412, 1869.— Jordan and Gilbert, U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 16, p. 543, 1882. 



The color of R. saponaceus bicolor and R. s. saponacues is very vari- 

 able. The white spots on some specimens are very few in number, 

 not over a dozen on each side, whUe in others twice that number, 

 and grading upward to those with very numerous light spots. In 

 some the spots are so numerous that they meet to give the soapfish 

 the appearance of a marbled pattern. The specimens that are plain 

 in color appear not to be different otherwise from the spotted forms. 



Since large adults of R. subbifrenatus have not been seen by us, 

 there is a possibility that specimens of Rypticus that have no light 

 spots and that are plain in color may be confused with R. subbifrenatus. 

 We do not have ample material of the latter to determine the variation 

 in the number of fin rays, which might be of some aid in its separation 

 from R. s. saponaceus of the Atlantic. 



The presence of Rypticus s. saponaceus on the western coast of 

 Africa is verified by counts made on two specimens kindly lent to us 

 by J. R. Norman, of the British Museum. Fin counts of these speci- 

 mens from Accra, Gold Coast, and Cape Verde Islands, respectively, 

 are as follows: Dorsal rays III, 24; III, 25. Anal rays 16; 16. Pec- 

 toral rays 16; 16. Preopercular spines 4, 3; 3, 3. Opercular spines 

 4, 4; 3, 3. Scale rows along side of body about 105; 113. 



The following collections in the U. S. National Museum have been 

 examined: 



No. 3689 (type i2. 7rtocMia<?js). "Cape San Lucas." J. Xantus. 

 No. 3700 (type R. nigripinnis). "Panama." Rev. I. Rowell. 

 No. 7740. Colima, Mexico. J. Xantus. 



