Jordan and Evermann. -^-Fishes of North America. 2153 



with another strong spine at its base; another before it on radiation 

 center of cheek ; another on the preorbital, these 4 forming a straight 

 line with retro rsal projection and all of them hooked backward; no curve 

 across top of head ; membranaceous flap of opercle not scaly ; gill rakers 

 unknown; scales rather small, the number not to be counted, apparently 

 none on breast, the naked skin of breast forming an acute angle behind ; 7 

 rows of scales between occiput and dorsal; spinous dorsal rather low, its 

 iirst 3 spines serrate in front, the second the highest. head; soft dorsal 

 with first row serrated, its length 2^ in head ; anal lower, its longest ray 

 2f in head ; caudal truncate, If in head ; pectoral short, its middle rays 

 longest, reaching fifth ray of soft dorsal, 2| in body ; ventrals If- in head ; 

 free rays tapering, If- in head. Coloration not described; body and 

 fins in figure unmarked, except pectoral, which is blackish at tip. Gulf 

 of Fonseca; known from a single specimen 6.7 inches long. Here 

 described from Richardson's figure, which gives details not mentioned in 

 his description. Apparently a well-marked species with the spines of 

 Prionotus horrens, but with a small mouth and rostral beak different from 

 that of any other species, (birostratus, two-beaked.) 



Prionotus birostratus, RICHARDSON, Voyage of the Sulphur, Ichthyology, pt. 2, 81, April, 

 1845, Gulf of Fonseca, west Coast of Central America. (Coll. Edward Belcher.) 



2481. PRIONOTUS GYMXOSTETHUS, Gilbert. 



Head 2^; depth 3$; eye 4 in head; snout 2^; interorbital width 10; 

 pectoral 1|; ventrals If; second dorsal spine 2. D. X or XI-10 or 11; 

 A. 11. Body heavy anteriorly, tapering rapidly to the slender tail. 

 Head large ; stria) fine, numerous, scarcely to be distinguished on top of 

 head, which is finely granular; snout long; profile concave, the orbital 

 region abruptly elevated; preorbital on each sids projecting beyond the 

 mouth in a narrow lobe, which is usually sharply triangular, the 2 

 lobes strongly divergent; free edge of preorbital with a row of very fine 

 seme; anterior nostril with a long flap; mouth small, the maxillary^- 

 length of head, a naked area behind it. Eyes very prominent, the pre- 

 ocular ridge high, bearing 1 strong spine; interorbital space very nar- 

 row, concave, -fa length of head ; a deep transverse groove on top of head 

 behind eyes. Supraocular spine short and blunt; occipital and nuchal 

 spines flat, bluntish; temporal ridge with 2 spinous projections; oper- 

 cular, preopercular, and humeral spines, long and sharp; preopercular 

 spine with a very strong accessory spine at base, from which a low ridge 

 extends forwards to middle of cheek, where it ends in a weak spine. 

 Gill rakers 1+7, slender, of moderate length. Second dorsal spine the 

 highest, the first 2 spines minutely serrulated in front; pectorals very 

 short, the length, reaching but little past front of anal; caudal slightly 

 lunate. Scales very small, none on breast or belly, the naked area ex- 

 tending upwards behind pectoral fin to humeral spine, and narrowing 

 backward to front of anal; region in front of spinous dorsal naked. 

 Color in spirits, brownish above, light below, the dorsal region and top 

 of head often with small dark spots; 1, or rarely 2, small black ocel- 

 3030 58 



