VoL.S] Starlxs-Morris.— Marine Fishes. 243 



236. Pleuronichthys verticalis Jordan and Gilbert. 



(Jordan & Evermann, 1898, III. p. 2638.) 

 Not rare in San Diego Bay; hitherto unrecorded this far 

 south. It is not very common ; ranging north to San Francisco 

 (the type locality). It may be known from Pleuronichtliys 

 ccpnosus by the higher, sharper interorbital space, with a higher, 

 sharper spine at its posterior end. The records of Pleuronichtliys 

 coenosus south of Point Conception probably refer to either this 

 species or to Pleuronichthys ritteri. 



237. Pleuronichthys ritteri, sp. no v. 



Head 41/5 in body to base of caudal ; depth lyg. Upper orbit 

 3 in head ; maxillary 4 : pectoral of colored side 1% ; highest 

 dorsal ray l^^ ; highest anal ray 1^: caudal 1. Dorsal ray 66; 

 anal rays 48. Scale in a longitudinal series above lateral line 78. 



Ventral outline of body forming a nearly straight line from 

 front of anal to tip of mandible ; head pointed. Interorbital ridge 

 low and sharp, ending posteriorly in a short conical spine turned 

 slightly downward ; a small tubercle on posterior margin of upper 

 orbit ; and two at anterior margin of lower orbit, the upper of 

 which is the larger. A cutaneous fold on blind side close behind 

 angle of mouth. Teeth present in bands on blind side of both 

 jaws, and a narrow band on eyed side of lower jaw. Gill rakers 

 5 + 11. 



Origin of dorsal on a level with anterior margin of maxillary ; 

 the first two rays below the level of upper nostril. Origin of 

 anal slightly behind vertical from base of pectoral. Pectoral of 

 blind side % as long as its mate ; ventral of blind side slightly 

 longer than its mate, and a little farther forward ; caudal 

 rounded. Scales small, cycloid, imbedded, and not imbricated an- 

 teriorly. Accessory branch of lateral line ending under thirty- 

 forth dorsal ray. 



Ground color in spirits grayish brown ; light spots as large as 

 pupil scattered over body and head ; an indefinite dark spot 

 slightly larger than pupil on lateral line midway between tip of 

 snout and base of caudal; a larger spot under base of posterior 

 fifth of dorsal and a similar one opposite it at base of anal. Dor- 



