166 BULLETIN OF THE 
Peristedium longispatha, n. sp. 
Ly. Off Santa Cruz. 314 fathoms. 
Body high anteriorly, its greatest height (89 mm.) contained 4} times in 
total length. The length of the head, without prolongations, is contained 24 
times in the total length ; with prolongations, 2 times. The crown of the 
head is flat, separated from the nuchal plate by a deep furrow, which is convex 
forward. The interorbital space is deeply concave, the supraorbital margins 
being swollen ; its width (16 mm.) equal to the long diameter of the orbit. 
No protuberance on the forehead, which is much depressed, its outline descend- 
ing abruptly and rapidly in front of the eyes. A ridge, but no spine, beneath 
the eye. The length of the snout (49 mm.), including the preorbital extension, 
is more than half the length of the head; the preorbital extension equals 
about half the length of the snout. The processes are flat, rounded anteriorly, 
and covered with minute granulations ; they diverge considerably, the distance 
of the tips apart (36 mm.) being nearly twice that at their bases (19 mm.). 
A ridge arises at the base of the preorbital process and extends to the angle 
of the preoperculum, and its width at the angle (8 mm.) is contained twice 
in the diameter of the orbit. A narrow inconspicuous and interrupted ridge 
below. A ridge on the operculum, ending in a sharp spine at the angle ; its 
length is equal to the diameter of the eye. 
The jaws are feeble, toothless ; the lower jaw with 2 long, much fringed 
barbels, and 14 shorter ones. The length of the long barbels (82 mm.) twice 
the diameter of the eye. 
The maxilla does not quite reach the vertical through the anterior margin of 
the eye. The diameter of the eye (16 mm.) is contained four times in the 
length of the head without its prolongations. The greatest width of the head 
over the preopercular ridge (61 mm.) is contained three times in the total 
length. 
The dorsal origin is directly in a line with the upper angle of the gill-open- 
ing. The longest spine (18 mm.) slightly longer than the width of interorbital 
space. The fin has 8 + 19 rays. 
The anal origin is under that of the second dorsal. The fin has 19 rays. 
Caudal small, slightly emarginate, the length of its middle rays (23 mm.) 
equals 14 times the diameter of the eye. 
Ventrals slightly in advance of the pectorals and extending farther back, 
reaching slightly beyond vent, and to vertical through seventh row of scales. 
Pectoral short, extending to vertical from fifth scale of the lateral line, the 
longest detached ray to the sixth. Twenty-nine rows of scales. 
Color in life, bright roseate; a black blotch near the tip of the pectoral. 
Dorsal with narrow dark margin; tip of caudal black. 
The elongation of the preorbital extension is noticeable in the smallest 
examples. 
