Jordan and Evermann. Fishes of North America. 2093 



11 + 39 = 50. General proportions, fin rays and color are the same in the 2 

 species. Aleutian Islands; taken very abundantly both north and south 

 of the Aleutian Islands and in Bristol Bay, at depths of 17 to 121 fathoms. 

 (Gilbert.) Also found about the Pribilof Islands. (Named for Mr. Bar- 

 ton A. Bean.) 



Aspidophoroides bartoni, GILBERT, Kept. TJ. S. Fish. Coram. 1893 (1896), 434, Aleutian 

 Islands; Bristol Bay, Alaska. (Coll. Albatross.) 



Subgenus ANOPLAGONUS, Gill. 

 2433. ASPIDOPHOROIDES irfERMIS,* Giinther. 



B. fi; ID. absent; 2 D. 5 or 6; A. 4 or 5; P. 10; V. 3(1,2); C. 11; verte- 

 brje 11 -|- 32 = 43. Pyloric caeca 4 (1 individual). Only 8 longitudinal 

 rows of plates, the lateral line in the upper lateral row. No spines any- 

 where on body; no ridges on the superior and inferior lateral series; 

 plates of the dorso- and ventrolateral series bent upon themselves at 

 right angles, forming the 4 prominent angles of the body ; the ventro- 

 lateral series do not therefore lie entirely on underside of body, as in A. 

 monopterygius, nor do they converge between ventrals and vent, but pass 

 forward to lower end of base of pectorals ; three pairs of plates between 

 last dorsal ray and first median plate, and 2 to 4 pairs between last anal 

 ray and first median plate ; a median dorsal series of hexagonal plates 

 about as large as those of the lateral series, on widest part of back, 

 from occiput to about halfway to dorsal; these plates alternating, but 

 not regularly, with still smaller ones; an inconstant number of small 

 plates behind and around vent; 2 or 3 pairs between ventrals and vent, 

 and a single small one between the bases of ventrals. Gill membrane 

 medially on its posterior part and laterally on its anterior part and narrow 

 under surface of mandible between the rami strongly plated ; two or 3 

 large plates in front of and 7 to 10 small ones in 2 series on base of pec- 

 toral. Head depressed, its depth f of its greatest width; orbit small, 

 circular, less than snout, 4^ in head; interorbital space narrow, If of 

 orbit, moderately concave; supraocular, occipital, temporal, and suborbi- 

 tal ridges very low ; 4 or 5 plates on lower part of cheek ; median rostral 

 plate small, vertical, movable, unarmed; mouth small, the lower jaw 

 slightly projecting, maxillary scarcely reaching front of orbit, entirely 

 covered by preorbital ; teeth in bands on jaws, vorner, and palatines. Dor- 

 sal and anal fins small, the latter under the former, with usually 5 rays; 

 caudal rounded, its width at base 2 in its length ; pectorals 7 in length 

 of body, their base 2 to 3 in their length, nearly truncate, with 10 rays, 

 the 3 lowermost a little exserted. Ventrals of female nearly twice as long 

 as orbit, to f as long as those of male, the latter less than 2 in pectorals. 

 Lateral line 41. Color dark (nearly black) grayish or brownish and lighter 



* Diagnosis: Body slender, much depressed anteriorly, 4-hedral, the dorsal face con- 

 cave, the ventral flat, the lateral convex ; caudal peduncle 6-hedral, subterete ; depth of 

 body f in width, the latter 8 in length ; head long, tapering, 5 in length of body ; plates 

 in dorsal series 42 ; from occiput to dorsal 19 to 21 ; from ventrals to anal 17 pairs ; a median 

 dorsal row of small plates from occiput to opposite tip of pectorals; first dorsal absent; 

 barbels none; gill membranes narrowly joined to isthmus with moderate free fold behind : 

 median rostral plate small, unarmed; nasal and all other spines absent from head. Color 

 brownish black, with several alternating cross bars of darker and lighter. Pectorals 

 with black patch at base and 1 near tip. 



