166 University of California Publications. [Zoology 



anterior end of each dorsal, and one at the base of dorsal. There 

 is a small round spot at the middle of each dorsal, or sometimes 

 two on the first. Two rather indistinct ones on the pectoral ; one 

 on the ventral : and two on the lower caudal lobe. 



This shark is found northward to San Francisco. It is easily 

 known by its color. 



8. Galeus zyopterus (Jordan and Gilbert). 



SOUP-FIN SHARK 



{Galeorliinus zyopterus Jordan and Evermann, 1896, I, p. 32, 

 fig. 15.) 



Very abundant on the Southern California coast. The follow- 

 ing description is of a specimen 5 feet 4 inches in length. 



Head to first gill opening 4i/4 in length to base of caudal. 

 Width of mouth between outer angles l%o in distance from 

 mouth to tip of snout. Distance between inner angle of nostrils 

 2 in same space. Upper labial groove ec^ual in length to long 

 diameter of eye ; lower groove three-fifths as long. Tip of lower 

 jaw reaching to below a point half a diameter of eye in front of 

 eye. Eye 4i/^ in snout ; nictitating membrane well developed, 

 capable of entirely closing eye in fresh specimens. Spiracle half 

 a diameter of eye behind eye. Interorbital space from edge of 

 eyelids 1% in snout. 



Anterior slope of pectoral greater than posterior slope by 

 three-quarters of the diameter of eye, or contained 2^4 times in 

 the distance from front of pectoral to tip of snout. Tip of pec- 

 toral reaching to anterior fourth of base of dorsal. Front of first 

 dorsal equidistant from front of snout and front of second dorsal. 

 Anterior slope of first dorsal equal to distance from tip of snout 

 to middle of eye. Base and posterior slope of first dorsal equal 

 in length, and as long as snout. Anterior and posterior slope of 

 second dorsal about equal, and contained 2% in snout. Front of 

 ventral nearer to base of first dorsal than to base of second by a 

 distance contained 3 times in length of snout. Length of caudal 

 along upper margin contained 4%o in entire length to tip of 

 caudal ; lower caudal lobe along anterior margin equal in length 

 to snout and eye. Ventral and anal opposite to each other, the 



