2674 Bulletin //, United States National Museum. 



symmetrical, that of colored side on the ridge of the abdomen, the other 

 inserted in front of it ; pectoral of colored side long, the rays A r ery slender, 

 the two upper prolonged and filamentous, the upper (in adults) more than \ 

 total length ; pectoral of blind side more than f of length of head ; scales 

 ciliated, somewhat irregular, of moderate size, with small scales inter- 

 mixed; snout naked, head and body otherwise scaly; scales on interor- 

 bital region very small ; a series of small scales on basal half of each dor- 

 sal and anal ray; base of caudal thickly scaled, a series of small scales 

 running nearly to tip of each ray, lateral line slightly rising anteriorly, 

 but without distinct curve. Color light brown, with grayish and light 

 bluish dots, some darker areas and a few round brown spots ocellated with 

 lighter; interorbital space with a vertical brown bar bordered by lighter ; 

 (ins mottled and spotted. This species is known only from the original 

 types, taken by Professor Gilbert at Panama. The several variations in 

 this species have not been studied. The species differs from Syacium ovale 

 chiefly in the much broader interorbital space. We should regard this as 

 unquestionably the adult male of S. ovale were it not that in making large 

 collections of the latter species at Mazatlan we found not one referable 

 to S. latifrons. (latus, broad; frons, forehead.) 



Citharichthyt latifrons, JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm. 1881, 334, Panama. 



(Coll. C.H.Gilbert.) 

 Syacium latifrons, JORDAN & Goss, Review Flounders and Soles, 271, 1889. 



8043. SYACIUM OVALE (Giinther). 



Head 3f in length; depth 2,V D.86; A. 69; scales 58; eye 4^ in head; 

 maxillary 2f; pectoral 1|; caudal 1-J-. Body elliptic-ovate, body outline 

 from snout to caudal peduncle uniform, the snout not produced; mouth 

 moderate ; maxillary concave behind, reaching to middle of pupil of lower 

 eye; lower jaw slightly included; teeth biserial in upper jaw, the inner 

 series small and sharp, the outer much larger, irregular, uniserial in lower 

 jaw; the lower eye slightly in advance of the upper; interorbital space 

 narrow, as broad as pupil, concave; gill rakers as long as pupil, 2-f-8 in 

 number. Scales strongly ctenoid; scales on mandible, maxillary, and a 

 few in front of interorbital, the middle of which is naked; lateral line not 

 curved. Dorsal beginning slightly in front of upper eye on blind side, 

 the anterior rays produced a little beyond membrane ; base of ventral of 

 blind side wider than that of eyed side; caudal double lunate. Color 

 light olive brown, nearly uniform, the vertical fins with elongate dark 

 spots; caudal with large, irregular black spots. Pacific coast of tropical 

 America ; common at Mazatlan and Panama. Here described from speci- 

 mens 6 or 7 inches in length, collected at Mazatlan, Mexico, by the Hop- 

 kins expedition to Sinaloa. None of these shows the broad interorbital 

 area of Syacium latifrons. (ovalis, oval.) 



Hemirhombus ovalis, GUNTHER, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1864, 154, Panama; GUNTHER, Fish. 



Centr. Arner., 472, pi. 80, fig. 1, 1869 ; JORDAN & GILBERT, Bull. TJ. S. Fish Comm. 1882, 



108-111. 



Citharichthys ovalis, JORDAN, Proc. TJ. S. Nat. Mus. 1885, 391. 

 Syacium ovale, JORDAN & Goss, Review Flounders and Soles, 271, 1889. 



