50 FOSSIL FISHES OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 



Family LABRID-ffi. 



43. Xyrinius houshi Jordan and Gilbert, new genus and species. 

 (Plate XXXI, fig. 2) 



A very small fish 1% inches in length (No. XXV), from fine- 

 grained sandstone of the Monterey-Puente formation of Los Angeles, 

 obtained by Mr. R. G. Van Cleve. 



Head 3y 2 in length, depth 2%; vertebrae apparently 12 + 16 = 28, 

 the anterior ones not certainly counted. General form of the Razor-fish, 

 XYRICHTHYS PSITTACUS the body very deep at the nape, the front 

 approaching the vertical, the suborbital very deep, the rather small eye 

 high and the opercle very short and deep. Mouth small, horizontal, 

 placed very low; outlines of body behind the shoulder nearly straight, 

 the form tapering rapidly backward. Spinous dorsal lost, a few rays 

 present near middle of body. Vertebrae stout, the interhaemals of the 

 ventral region notably so ; pectorals vaguely shown ; ventrals thoracic, I 5. 

 Caudal rather large, its length a little more than half greatest depth of 

 body, the fin apparently truncate. Traces only of large cycloid scales. 

 The fine hair-like bones are well preserved. 



The characteristic form of the body of this little fish leaves not 

 much doubt of its close relation to the Razor-fishes, XYRICHTHYIN.E. 

 From XYRICHTHYS it differs in the number of vertebrae, there being at 

 least twenty-eight or more, perhaps thirty- four. This would indicate a 

 more northern range than that of the tropical species of XYRICHTHYS, 

 in which the vertebrae are 9 -f- 16 = 25, the standard number of tropical 

 LABRID^:. The increased number of vertebrae with the apparent rela- 

 tionship to XYRICHTHYS may define the new genus XYRINIUS. 



The generic name is from UQOV, a razor ; lulov, the nape. The species 

 is dedicated to William H. Housh, principal of the Los Angeles High 

 School. 



Family 



44. Sebastavus vertebralis Jordan and Gilbert, new genus and species. 



(Plate XXXI, fig. 1) 



Type an immature fish, less than three inches long (No. Ill), 

 lacking the head and anterior part of the body about to the middle 

 of the spinous dorsal. It is from the diatomaceous shales at El Modena, 

 presented by E. E. Hadley. 



Body robust, the depth probably about 3% in length ; caudal peduncle 

 stout. Dorsal fin deeply notched, the anterior part of stiff spines, of 

 moderate height, the highest two in depth of body, the soft part of 

 I, 11 rays, the highest two in depth of body. Anal fin well preserved, 

 its rays about ten, its spines rather small and graduated; anal beginning 



