Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 2857 



size of the preopercnlar serrations, those at the angle not elongated and 

 spine-like, even in the young. The following description is furnished by 

 Dr. Gilbert: 



1623(a). LOBOTKS 1'ACIFICUS, Gilbert, new species. 



(BERRUGATE.) 



Head 2f in length; depth 2| to 2-, 1 - (to base of caudal rays); depth of 

 caudal peduncle 2^ in head. D. XII, 15; A. Ill, 11; pectoral 15. Scales 

 11-46 (+6 on base of caudal)-18; vertebrae 12 + 12; Br. 6. Body more 

 elongated than L. surinamensis, agreeing in this respect with L. crate, 

 the depth less than the length. Upper profile deeply concave at occi- 

 put, thence strongly convex to front of dorsal ; head shorter and narrower 

 than in L. surinamensis, the iiiterorbital width but slightly longer than 

 snout, 3i a o to 4 in head (3^ to 3| in head in L. surinamensis). Eye small, 

 6f to 7 in head, 2 or 2 1 L - in interorbital width. Mandible strongly pro- 

 truding, but without symphyseal knob ; maxillary narrow, not concealed 

 in closed mouth, its tip reaching vertical from middle of pupil, 2f to 2-fo 

 in head. Upper jaw with a moderate villiform band of teeth, in front of 

 which is a single series of conical, close-set canines ; lower jaw with a sin- 

 gle series, similar to outer series of upper jaw, and behind them a very 

 narrow band of villiform teeth, which grow slightly larger toward sym- 

 physis; palate toothless. Posterior margin of preopercle vertical, the 

 angle protruding but little in the young. In 5 young examples, 7 to 11 

 inches long, the pr-eopercular teeth are fine, acute, short, and inconspicu- 

 ous, about as in species of Pomadasis. They increase but little in size 

 toward the angle, where they are never spine-like; on lower limb they 

 are perceptible only in the immediate vicinity of the angle, the remain- 

 der of the horizontal limb being entire. In the adult the vertical 

 limb is finely and evenly toothed, the angle and lower limb slightly 

 roughened or entire; opercle with 2 short spinous points, behind the 

 lower of which a narrow tongue-shaped process of the subopercle ex- 

 tends to near the edge of opercular membrane; humeral process very 

 weakly toothed, contrasting with the strong serrate condition in L. suri- 

 namensis. Gill rakers short, 2 in eye in young, comparatively shorter in 

 adults, 6 on vertical limb, all but one of which are broad, firmly fixed 

 tubercles, 14 on horizontal limb, the anterior 2 or 3 tubercular. Spinous 

 dorsal low, with gently rounded outline ; notch between dorsals shallow, 

 the eleventh spine f the length of the longest, which is contained 2 to 2^ 

 times in head in the young, 3 times in adults ; when declined the spines 

 are partially received within a scaly grove ; soft dorsal, anal, and caudal 

 with dorsal portions densely scaled and with series of scales running up 

 on membrane to beyond middle of fin; soft dorsal and anal of equal 

 height, forming bluntly rounded lobes, the longest rays of which are 

 about | head in adults, 1 to If in young; third anal spine about - length 

 of longest ray ; pectorals shorter than veutrals, 2 to 2 in head ; ventrals 

 1 in head in young, shorter in adults. Scales less strongly ctenoid than 

 in L. surinamensis; tubes of lateral line mostly simple, occasionally with 

 1 to 3 branches. Color grayish or brownish, with plumbeous or silvery 

 reflections. The youngest examples show faintly the dark streaks so con- 

 3030 102 



