lO SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 9I 



to a point opposite the vent. Dorsal origin above the third seventh 

 of the pectoral length, opposite the eighth pore in the lateral line. Color 

 light brownish-gray above, lighter below, the color well contrasted on 

 the side of the head. Vertical fins with a conspicuous narrow black 

 margin becoming more pronounced posteriorly but not involving the 

 median caudal rays. Pectorals slightly shaded distally. 



The collection contains two examples of this eel, the larger a female 

 with well-developed ova. 



Family PLEURONECTIDAE 



POECILOPSETTA Giinther 



POECILOPSETTA ALBOMARGINATA, n. sp. 



Plate I 



Holotype. — U.S.N.M. no. 93303 (Field no. 626) ; 98 mm standard 

 length; from Caroline station 100, due north of Tobago Island, lati- 

 tude i8°38'45" N., longitude 64°52'45" W., to latitude i8°4o'i5" N., 

 longitude 64°5o'i5" W., March 4, 1933, otter trawl, 100 to 300 

 fathoms. 



Paratypcs. — U.S.N.M. no. 93304 (Field nos. 624, 625, and 627) ; 

 three specimens, 105 tO 1 16 mm standard length ; same data as holotype. 



Head 4.5, depth 2.4 in standard length. Upper eye 2.4 in head, its 

 upper anterior rim impinging upon the dorsal profile, forming a deep 

 notch before eye. Snout 3.1 in head. Dorsal 59 to 64. Anal 51 to 53. 

 Both fins of equal height, 1.7 in head. Right pectoral with 9 rays, its 

 length 2 in head, that of left side slightly longer. Ventrals symmetrical, 

 their tips about reaching third anal ray. Caudal rounded-acuminate, 

 the middle rays greater than length of head, 4.2 in standard length. 

 Depth of caudal peduncle nearly twice its length, 1.5 in head. Scales 

 19-64-26, rather deciduous, ctenoid on eyed (right) side, cycloid on 

 blind side. Eight rows on cheek. No scales on snout, interorbital, or 

 maxillary. Lateral line forming a high curve anteriorly, which is some- 

 what flattened on the top, and from there descending almost perpen- 

 dicularly to the midsides, where it meets the straight part at a right 

 angle. There are 71 to 74 pores in its course to base of caudal. Eyes 

 closely approximated, the upper slightly the larger, the lower usually 

 slightly in advance of the upper. Maxillary little curved, 3.7 in head. 

 Mouth small, oblique. Lower jaw projecting, the mandible with a small 

 knob. Teeth irregularly uniserial on the jaws, slightly larger and more 

 numerous on the blind side. No teeth on vomer or palatines. Gill rakers 

 10 short points, about 4 in pupil. Interorbital very narrow, naked, cov- 



