LOMPOCHITES 31 



pectoral mostly obliterated; ventrals inserted well behind it, just before 

 first dorsal spine with a long pelvic bone, much as in LOMPOQUIA RETROPES. 



A renewed study indicates that LOMPOCHITES may be one of the 

 CARANGID^E; perhaps nearest ELAGATIS. 



Named for Mr. Timothy Hopkins, founder of the Hopkins Marine 

 Station. 



Family 



Rixator Jordan and Gilbert, new genus. 

 (Type: RIXATOR PORTEOUSI Jordan and Gilbert.) 



The species described below as RIXATOR PORTEOUSI would certainly 

 come under the head of SEBASTODES as defined by Jordan and Evermann. 

 But that genus covers a great variety of forms and must be subdivided, 

 and the present species is allied to the type-group. 



The following generic characters are shown by R. PORTEOUSI : Body 

 rather elongate, compressed, the back straight, scarcely arched, with a 

 very large head, 3 in length, the depth about 4*4 ; mouth large, the cleft 

 extending beyond eye ; larger than in SEBASTOSOMUS and ROSICOLA ; lower 

 jaw prominent, with bands of even, pointed teeth. 



Vertebrae 24 (25), large, mostly longer than deep, strongly grooved; 

 neurals and hsemals strong; interneurals long and strong, expanded or 

 dagger-shaped at base, especially anteriorly, one and sometimes two pos- 

 teriorly between each pair of neurals. Interhaemals small, slender, and 

 very oblique except the second, which is robust and very long, half head ; 

 two or three set irregularly between each pair of haemals. Dorsal con- 

 tinuous, deeply notched, its rays XII, I, 13. Anal rays III, 6, or possibly 

 7, the second spine very long and strong. Pectorals broad, rounded. 

 unsymmetrical. Caudal broad, subtruncate, the hypural plates large, 

 about two on a side, with an open median split which separates the caudal 

 rays in the skeleton. 



Cranium unknown ; armature of head and squamation of body, with 

 character of gill rakers, undetermined. Among living forms the species 

 in question is certainly nearest typical SEBASTODES, but the second anal 

 spine and its interhaemal are greatly enlarged. 



In SEBASTODES proper the cranial ridges are very small, mostly with- 

 out spines at tip, the jaws unequal ; the cranium thick, very broad between 

 the eyes, somewhat convex ; scales moderate ; gill rakers long and slender. 

 Vertebrae 24, besides the small vertebra which forms the base of the ex- 

 panded hypural ; the vertebrae, especially the mesial ones, notably longer 

 than deep; parietal bones not meeting. Anal inserted under middle of 



