RIXATOR 



33 



of the back, with the great size of the mouth, the small anal spine, besides 

 the almost spineless cranium, sufficiently define SEBASTODES. 



16. Rixator porteousi Jordan and Gilbert, new species. 

 (Plates XXI, XXII, XXIII) 



Type No. 300. A complete large fish with crushed head, 18 inches 

 long. Head very large, about 3 in length, depth about 4*4 ; maxillary iy 2 

 in head, extending to just beyond eye; orbit 3% in head; snout about 

 3^4 ', jaws unequal, the lower prominent, both with small, even, close-set 

 conical teeth, as far as shown. Form relatively elongate, the outline of 

 the back straight, scarcely arched. 



Vertebrae 10 +15 = 25, rather large anteriorly, as deep as long, 

 posteriorly longer, grooved; neurals and hsemals strong, even; interneu- 

 rals strong, all more or less dagger-shaped, expanded at base, extending 

 half way or more to backbone. 



Interhsemals much smaller, slender and very oblique, reaching about 

 one-third distance to backbone, the second interneural excepted, which is 

 robust and very long, very oblique, about half length of head, and equal to 

 depth of body at insertion of anal, D. XII, I, 13, A. Ill, 7, or possibly 6. 

 Dorsal continuous, deeply notched, with 12 strong spines in its first part, 

 the third spine longest, 2% in depth of body, the first spine very short. 

 Second dorsal I, 13, the rays high, subequal, about as high as longest 

 spines, the second strongest, longer than third, 2 in depth of body 

 (broken in type), first spine more than half second, the fin inserted farther 

 back than in related species, nearly under middle of soft dorsal, about as 

 in SEBASTODES. 



Pectorals broad, rounded, very long, unsymmetrical, of about 18 rays, 

 7y 4 in length of body, nearly % of head, almost as long as in ROSICOLA 

 PIN NIGER ; ventrals lost ; caudal broken, subtruncate, rounded, split mesial- 

 ly, with strong hypurals, about 3 on each side, of about 24 rays, the outer 

 shortened ; soft rays of all fins much branched. No bones of head with 

 serrate edges. No trace of scales. This species is apparently nearest the 

 living SEBASTODES GOODEI Eigenmann. It differs from those called ROSI- 

 COLA (PINNIGER, MINIATUS) in the larger mouth, straighter back, longer 

 vertebrae and most posterior position of the anal fin. 



To RIXATOR PORTEOUSI we refer two smaller examples, which differ 

 from the type only in the very slender interneurals ; a matter probably of 

 age. 



No. 243 is a small fish, lacking the head, the part preserved 5 

 inches long, of depth of about 4y 2 in length from front of spinous dorsal. 

 Vertebrae 10 (7 preserved) -f- 14 or 15 = 25, slightly longer than broad, 

 especially posteriorly ; each vertebra somewhat grooved ; neurals and 

 haemals moderate : interneurals straight, simple, distinctly expanded at 



