2024 Bulletin 4.7, United States National Museum. 



jaws with slender, villiform teeth, in bands ; teeth on vomer and pala- 

 tines. Pseudobranchise present. Gills 3, no slit behind the last; gill 

 openings wide, extending above the median line, the membrane free from 

 the isthmus. Suborbital connected by a bony stay with the preopercle, 

 which bears a strong bifid spine at its angle. Pectorals completely 

 united around the breast, the membranes free at the margin. Ventrals 

 distant from the gill opening, the pubic bones being remarkably long, 

 the fins diverging widely, and consisting of a rudimentary spine and 3 

 rays. Dorsal long, the spinous portion low, with slender spines, and the 

 soft portion twice as long as the spinous. Anal long. Caudal moderately 

 elongate, its middle rays somewhat produced. Genital papilla of male 

 received in a pit in front of anal. Pacific. (6vv, together; x ip, hand.) 



2893. SYNCHIRUS GILLI, Bean. 



Head 3^; depth 5i; Br. 6; D. VIII to IX, 19 to 21; A. 20; V. I, 3; P. 22. 

 Eye about as long as snout, 4 in head. Maxillary extending to about 

 below middle of eye. The interorbital space not quite equal to length of 

 eye; a pair of strong nasal spines ; preopercle with a short and very sharp 

 bifid spine; lateral line with about 41 spiny tubercles, and most of the 

 specimens have a single series of spiny scales along the dorsal base; 

 pectorals nearly as long as the head, and extending to about below the 

 fourth ray of the soft dorsal ; ventrals nearly under the middle of the 

 pectorals, their length varying greatly ; in some specimens scarcely 4- as 

 long as the head; in others as long as postorbital part of head. In some 

 males the anal pap ilia is as long as the ventral fin of the same individual. 

 This papilla can be received into a pit in front of the anal fin. Spinous 

 dorsal beginning over axil of pectoral, length of its base a little greater 

 than postorbital part of head; none of its spines much longer than eye; 

 distance of anal origin from head about length of head. Rays of soft 

 dorsal and anal not much longer than dorsal spines. Caudal about 

 as long as head, its middle rays somewhat the longest. Color in spirits 

 pale yellowish brown; the sides showing traces of several small, pale 

 blotches, and the caudal and pectoral with a few very small dark blotches, 

 those on the caudal forming interrupted bands; across the back are faint 

 indications of about 5 pale cross bands. Length 2 inches. Barclay 

 Sound, British Columbia. (The species is dedicated to Dr. Theodore Gill, 

 in appreciation of his researches upon the mail-cheeked fishes.) 



Synchirus gilli, BEAN, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xn, 1889, 642, Barclay Sound, -British Co- 

 lumbia. (Type, No. 41820. Coll. Albatross.) 



755- ASCELICHTHVS, Jordan & Gilbert. 

 Ascelichthys, JORDAN & GILBERT, Proc. TJ. S. Nat. Mus. 1880, 264 (rhodorus) . 



Body plump, fusiform, tapering backward, covered with loose smooth 

 skin; head broad, depressed, its upper surface evenly and weakly convex; 

 a hooked preopercular spine ; no nasal spines ; a supraorbital cirrus ; teeth 

 on jaws, vomer, and palatines; no slit behind fourth gill; gill membranes 

 broadly united, free from the isthmus; spinous dorsal low; the spines 



