OPLOPOMUS 169 



curving lateral canines ; behind are two or three rows of minute 

 depressible teeth ; the body covered with ctenoid scales, which are 

 largest posteriorly; the nape scaled to eyes, the scales becom- 

 ing much smaller anteriorly, the last few rows very small and 

 cycloid; there are from five to seven longitudinal rows or par- 

 tial rows of somewhat deciduous scales on preopercle, With 

 three or four longitudinal lines of very minute papillae sepa- 

 rating them, some of the rows being of comparatively large 

 scales, others of very small ones ; the upper part of opercle and 

 the bases of pectorals alsd scaled ; near the lower posterior angle 

 of preopercle are stout spines, ordinarily two but varying from 

 one to five, the two opercles often having a different number ; the 

 dorsals and anal of moderate height, the longest spines or rays 

 about f as long as head and never equal to depth; the fourth 

 and fifth spines longest, all the spines but the first with elon- 

 gated tips; the spine of second dorsal much shorter than the 

 rays, which are longest posteriorly, the last two or three reach- 

 ing caudal when depressed ; the anal is similar to the soft dorsal 

 but about { as high, the last rays the longest; the pectoral 

 rather broad, equal to or a little shorter than the broad, trian- 

 gular, pointed ventrals, which extend to anus or to anal papilla,. 

 and are approximately equal to depth; the depth of caudal 

 peduncle is approximately half the depth of body, and is of 

 its own length; the caudal broad, with a round pointed tip, and 

 approximately equal to depth ; the anal papilla very slender and 

 pointed in males, short, very broad, and round pointed in females, 

 The color in alcohol varies from yellowish white to reddish 

 yellow or brown, with five oblong black spots along middle of 

 side, the first beneath posterior part of pectoral, the last at base 

 of caudal and extended upon it; a series of about five smaller 

 rounded black spots on upper half of body in a longitudinal 

 series, beginning above opercle and running back; each scale 

 on upper half bears a small ocellated spot; a black or brown 

 spot on upper part of base of pectoral rays; two faint dark 

 longitudinal bands on cheeks, the upper one beginning at lower 

 margin of eye, the other behind angle of mouth ; the first dorsal 

 has a transverse row of circular black spots on the membranes 

 near base, and a blackish transverse line across second, third, 

 and fourth spines about a third of the distance from top, and 

 running out to tip of fourth spine; a black spot on posterior 

 tip of fin; the second dorsal has a basal row of circular black 

 spots on the membranes and two black crosslines on upper half; 



