28 



SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. Ill 



barbata 



Scales moderately small, 

 about 210 in a lateral 

 series, about 32 be- 

 tween posterior rim of 

 orbit and base of oper- 

 cular spine. 



Head and body (at least 

 in adults) plain, with- 

 out round black spots ; 

 the dorsal and anal 

 fins more or less pale 

 at base, with dark 

 margins. 



clarkae 



Scales very small, about 

 220 in a lateral series, 

 about 45 between pos- 

 terior rim of orbit 

 and base of opercular 

 spine. 



Head and body (at least 

 in adults) plain, with- 

 out round black spots ; 

 the dorsal and anal 

 pale at base, with dark 

 margins. 



ordwayi, new species 



Scales very small, about 

 225 in a lateral series, 

 about 30 between pos- 

 terior rim of orbit 

 and base of opercular 

 spine. 



Head and anterior part 

 of body profusely 

 spotted with black ; 

 the dorsal and anal 

 black, with narrow 

 pale margins. 



Family OPHIDIIDAE: Cusk eels 

 Genus LEPOPHIDIUM Gill, 1895 



Body quite elongate, compressed, tapering regularly and rather 

 gradually to more or less of a point posteriorly ; head low, somewhat 

 compressed ; snout with or without a spine (present in all Pacific coast 

 species) ; mouth rather large and broad, nearly horizontal ; teeth in 

 jaws in villiform bands, the outer ones in each jaw more or less 

 enlarged, rather shorter and blunter on vomer and palatines ; gill 

 rakers short and few ; lateral line present at least anteriorly ; scales 

 very small, with many radiating striae, extending forward on head 

 to or beyond interorbital region ; dorsal and anal fins continuous with 

 the caudal fin. 



Occurring in rather deep water on both coasts of America. About 

 nine species have been recognized. Now reported from Peru for the 

 first time. 



LEPOPHIDIUM NEGROPINNA, new species 

 Figure 8 



Head 4.6; depth 7.5; D. 128;^ A. 114;^ P. 23 i^ scales 220.' 

 Body moderately slender, compressed, its greatest thickness about 

 two-thirds its depth ; head long, low, a little deeper than broad over 

 margin of preopercle; snout blunt, 4.8 in head, with a strong spine 

 extending beyond premaxillaries ; eye moderate, 5.0 in head; inter- 

 orbital 5.0; mouth large, nearly horizontal; lower jaw shorter than 



* The enumerations are only approximately correct because the fin rays are en- 

 veloped in rather thick skin and are not all visible, and the scales are too small 

 and the series too irregular to count accurately. 



