Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 2739 



about equal to interorbital width, shorter than its own width in front. 

 Eye rather large, much longer than snout, wider than interorbital area. 

 Process representing first dorsal spine present, small. Skin covered with 

 spines, which are comparatively slender and sharp, their stellate bases 

 inconspicuous, those on snout and middle of back and tail largest, much 

 slenderer and sharper than in Ocjcoceplialus vespertilio; no spines on ocelli 

 of back; belly rough; under side of tail with tubercular plates; tail 

 depressed toward base of fin. Pectorals longer than ventrals, their 

 length If width of mouth; caudal a little longer than pectoral, 4^ in 

 body. Color light olive, above everywhere thickly and uniformly cov- 

 ered with small round spots of dark brown, these about as large as the 

 pupil and about as wide as the lighter interspaces; a conspicuous ocel- 

 lus, larger than eye, on each side of back, this ocellus with a bright 

 yellow spot in the center, surrounded by a black ring, around which is 

 a pale ring, and finally a fainter dark one; under parts plain white; 

 pectorals spotted; caudal yellowish at base, with a terminal blackish 

 band. Length 4 inches. Pacific coast of Mexico, south to Panama, in 

 water of moderate depth ; very rare near the shore, but obtained in abun- 

 dance by the Albatross at Stations 2794 and 2795, near Panama. (Elater, 

 the spring beetle, from the resemblance of the ocelli to the eye-like spots 

 on the back of Elater.) 



Malthe elater, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1881, 365, Mazatlan. (Type, No. 



28127. Coll. Dr. J. TJ. Bastow.) 

 Ogcocephalus elater, JORDAN, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci. 1895, 506. 



1074. HALIEUTICHTHYS, Poey. 



Halieutichthys, POEY, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1863, 83 (reticulatus). 



Disk subcircular, anteriorly cordiform, the head merging into the body, 

 very large and much depressed ; cranial portion not elevated ; interorbital 

 space low and narrow; eyes partly superior; mouth terminal, horizontal, 

 the jaws subequal, the lower jaw nearly semicircular; teeth fine, on jaws 

 and palate. Gills 2^; no gill rakers; gill openings anterior to pectoral; 

 rostral tentacle very small, retractile; dorsal and anal few-rayed; pecto- 

 rals large, the carpus slender; caudal rounded; skin above sparsely 

 armed with stellate tubercles; lower surface smooth. (aXievrr^c,, fisher; 

 fish.) 



a. Surface of body covered with brownish reticulations ; fins not barred with black. 



ACULEATUS, 3123. 



aa. Surface of body blackish, not reticulate ; pectorals with a broad black bar mesially, 

 the tip pale; caudal blackish toward the tip. CARIBB^EUS, 3124. 



3123. HALIEUTICHTHYS ACULEATUS (Mitchill). 



D. I, 4 or 5; A. 4; V. I, 5; P. 16 to 18; C. 9; gills 2. Disk cordiform, 

 about as wide as long, its length more than f that of body. Body covered 

 above with stout conical spines with stellular bases, largest upon the 

 trunk, upon which they are arranged in about 2 irregular longitudinal 



