Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 2763 



little less than length of pectoral spine, which extends barely f the 

 distance to the ventral fins; adipose fin long and low, very nearly or 

 quite coterminous with the anal ; caudal narrow, rather short, the upper 

 lobe the longer, 1$ in head; anal rather low and short; ventrals short, the 

 vent not far behind them. Color dusky above, pale below, the fins all 

 more or less dusky; maxillary barbels dusky, others pale. A single 

 young male was obtained at Panama. 



7i(a). ASPISTOR, Jordan & Evermann, new genus. 



Aspistor, JORDAN & EVERMANN, new genus (luniscutis) . 



This genus differs from Selenaspis in the presence of granular teeth on the 

 palate and in the absence of a meinbranaceous flap connecting the posterior 

 nostrils. (atfTtidriyp, a shielded warrior.) 



175. ASPISTOR LUNISCUTIS (Cuvier & Valenciennes). 



Head 3f ; depth 5| to 6. D. I, 7; A. 16 to 19; eye 2 to 3 in snout, 6 to 9 

 in head, 3 to 4| in the interocular. Body comparatively stout, the greatest 

 width equaling the greatest depth. Head large, flattish above; profile 

 descending; width of head 1 in its length, width at the mouth 2 to 2f, 

 its depth at the base of the occipital process scarcely less than its greatest 

 width; top of head coarsely granular in young, the granules becoming 

 finer and more regularly arranged in the adult ; opercles smooth ; humeral 

 process with radiating lines of granules. Occipital process variable in 

 shape, broader than long, the posterior margin convex ; dorsal plate vari- 

 able in outline, rounded anteriorly, saddle-shaped, either broader than 

 long or longer than broad; middle of the fontanel above the posterior 

 margin of the eye; the fontanel divided into 3 by 2 bony ridges, the 

 middle portion being more than of its whole length. Sides of head with 

 reticulating mucous canals. No skinny flap connecting the posterior nos- 

 trils. Maxillary barbels extending little beyond the base of the pectoral, 

 or shorter ; mental barbels short. Upper jaw little produced ; teeth in the 

 jaws rather large, conical; teeth of vomer and palatines finely granular, 

 the vomerine patches separated from each other and from the palatine 

 patches in the young, united and covering almost the entire roof of the 

 mouth in the adult; the inner margins of the palatine patches approxi- 

 mated, sometimes a small elliptical patch of teeth between. Gill mem- 

 branes forming a broad marginal flap across the isthmus. Gill rakers 3 to 

 4 + 7 to 9. Axillary pore minute or wanting; vertical series of pores 

 present. Distance of dorsal from tip of snout 2| in the length ; the spine 1 

 to If in the head, granular in front, scarcely serrate behind; distance of 

 adipose tin from the dorsal 3f to 4 in the length, the adipose fin twice as 

 long as high, adnate, as long as the dorsal fin ; caudal forked, the upper 

 lobe longer, 4 to 4 in the length ; anal fin about as long as high, 2f to2 

 in head; ventrals If to 2 in head; pectoral spine stout, 1 to 1} in head, 

 granular in front (serrate in the very young), striate on sides, serrate 

 along inner margin. Color purplish brown above, sprinkled with brown 

 dots below ; fins about the color of the back. Numerous specimens 



