34 FOSSIL FISHES OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 



being shown ; each of about six soft rays, the insertion far behind front of 

 dorsal and slightly nearer tip of snout than base of caudal ; insertion of 

 dorsal -midway between gill opening and base of ventrals, the fin broken, 

 only six rays being visible; vertebral column much bent posteriorly, as 

 in the type specimen, vertebrae strong, the neurals weak, caudal fin broken ; 

 no trace of anal fin. No scales preserved. 



The genus LYGISMA is probably related to the herrings, although the 

 vertebral column is much stronger than in these. It may find a temporary 

 place among the DUSSUMIERIID^, with which it has probably no close 

 affinity. 



The name is from Xvyiofia, a twisted object. 



Family SYNGNATHID^. 



30. Syngnathus avus Jordan and Gilbert, new species. 

 (Plate XXIX, fig. 2) 



The fossil pipe-fish, here described (Nos. V, XLVI, etc.) as new, 

 was obtained in the Miocene chalk-shale near Titus Avenue, Bairdstown, 

 a suburb of Los Angeles. The material consists of twelve specimens 

 more or less complete. All are apparently of the same species. 



Head seven in length to base of caudal; body rings 18 + 43 = 61; 

 dorsal 36 ; dorsal on rings l / 2 + 7^ ; pouch rings 22 ; caudal 6 ; 

 pectoral 12; snout 1.8 in head; eye 10.6; depth 3.1; dorsal base in 

 head 1.3; dorsal height in its length 4.25; caudal in head 4.4; body in 

 tail 2.4; extent of latter 1 line to 22. 



Body long and slender, covered with bony plates united in rings, 

 as usual in SYNGNATHUS; egg-pouch, sub-caudal; dorsal fin beginning 

 slightly in advance of the vent, its base short; head in line with axis 

 of body, caudal straight. Dorsal-lateral caudal ridge not continuous 

 with lateral line nor with the dorsal ridge; pectoral fin well developed; 

 caudal fin small, having more than six rays; gill-cover striae coarse; 

 ridges prominent; lattice-work of the plates faint; stellar platelets 

 angularly oval, dorsal high. 



This species is evidently closely related to the living species of 

 the California coast and seems nearest to SYNGNATHUS LEPTORHYNCHUS 

 Girard, a species common from San Francisco to San Diego, and to 

 S. CALIFORNIENSIS Storer. It has more dorsal rays (36 instead of 

 30 to 32), and its rings are 18 + 43, instead of 17 to 18 + 36 to 41. 

 The snout also is longer, length in adult 12.5, young 10.6, while in S. LEP- 

 TORHYNCHUS 15.4 and 17.2. The lateral line extends farther in the 

 type (twenty-second ring) than in either of the related living forms 

 (nineteenth ring) and the dorso-lateral caudal ridge divides earlier, 



