FISHES 8CORPAENIDAE SEBASTES PAUCISPINIS. 



83 



List of specimens. 



5. SEBASTES PAUCISPINIS, Ay res. 

 PLATE XXIIa, FIGS. 14. 



SPEC. CHAR. Head and body very much compressed ; former, wedge shape ; tip of lower jaw very prominent. Spines of 

 the upper surface of scull inconspicuous. Posterior extremity of maxillary extending to a vertical line drawn posteriorly to 

 the orbit. Opercle and preopercle spinous. Origin of dorsal a little hi advance of the base of the pectorals. Eeddish brown 

 above, lighter beneath. 



SYN. Sebastes pawispinis, AYRES, Proc. Cal. Acad. Nat. Sc. I, 1864, 6 ; &, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. V, 1854, 94. 



An authentic specimen of this species now before us measures thirteen inches and a half from 

 the extremity of the lower jaw to the end of the caudal fin. The general aspect of the fish is 

 elongated, the head and body being very much compressed ; the former constituting nearly the 

 third of the entire length. The outline from the origin of the dorsal is regularly sloping 

 towards the snout ; it is nearly straight along the base of the spinous dorsal, hence descending 

 towards the peduncle of the tail. The mouth is deeply cleft, the lower jaw projecting considera 

 bly beyond the upper, and provided with a conspicuous knob upon its symphysis. The posterior 

 extremity of the maxillary is quite dilated, its margin sloping inwardly downwards, being itself 

 even with a vertical line which would be drawn somewhat posteriorly to the orbit. Card-like 

 teeth upon the premaxillaries, dentaries, front of the vomer and palatines. The eye is large 

 and sub-circular; its diameter entering five times and a half in the absolute length of the side of 

 the head, The nostrils are situated towards the upper surface of the snout, a good deal nearer 

 the orbit than the edge of the upper jaw. The upper surface of the head presents but two hori 

 zontal, very small, acerated occipital spines at the posterior extremity of the occipital ridges. 

 Upon the limb of the preopercle we observe five flattened, sometimes bifurcated, spinous pro 

 cesses, largest at the convexity. The subopercle is spineless, but the posterior edge of the 

 opercle exhibits two flattened and diverging spines. The suprascapular bone terminates likewise 

 into an inconspicuous spine. 



The anterior dorsal is regularly arched in its outline, and simply contiguous to the second, 

 between which and the former there is a much greater depression than usual. The caudal fin 

 enters a little short of six times in the total length. Its posterior margin is sub-crescentic. The 

 anal is as deep as the soft dorsal is high, but shorter upon its base ; the tip.s of its rays extend 

 ing likewise further back. The origin of the ventrals takes place almost opposite the base of 

 the pectorals, and, although well developed and elongated, their extremities are far away from 

 the vent. The pectorals are elongated, sub-lanceolated ; their extremities extending some 

 what beyond those of the ventrals. 



Br. VII: VII ; D XIII, 14; A III, 9 ; C 5, 1, 6, 6, 1, 4 ; V I, 5 ; P 14. 



