GENUS SEBASTODES. 59I 



ANALYSIS OF NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF SEBASTODES. 



a. Interorbital space convex (never concave), broad, less than 31 in base 

 of skull, cranial ridges very low or obsolete, the spines when present, 

 delicate; base of sknll strongly curved, mesethmoid processes not 

 elevated (not directed upward), ventral process of basisphenoid rudi- 

 mentary (or fairly developed only in young); skull usually thick; 

 anal rays III, 9 to III, 6; gill-rakers usually long and slender; 

 snout, preorbitals and jaws more or less scaly, 

 b. Cranial ridges (except parietal) all obsolete or very slightlj^ devel- 

 oped, cranial spines absent or very inconstant and minute (regu- 

 larly present only in young), (preocular spines usually present in 

 mystinus); lower jaw much projecting, 

 c. Parietal bones not meeting, mesethmoid processes weak and de- 

 pressed; scales small, 90-100 transverse series of scales above 

 lateral line, peritoneum white, lower jaw much projecting, en- 

 tering profile, a large symphyseal knob, dii-ected forward. A. 

 Ill, 8-III, 9. 



d. Head 2|; depth 3f ; D. XIII-13; A. Ill, 9; lat. 1. tubes 65-80, 

 transverse rows of scales about 100. Maxillary reaching be- 

 yond eye (in adult). If in head; lower jaw much projecting, 

 with a large symphyseal knob, eye large, 4-6 in head. Scales 

 very small, irregular. Anal spines small, graduated. Pale 

 dull orange red, dark brown above; young olivaceous. Peri- 

 toneum white. San Diego to San Francisco, abundant, and 

 to British Columbia (Bean). paucispinis ." 



dd. Head, 24; depth, Sf. D. XIII-14; A. Ill, 8; lat. 1. 55 

 (pores), transverse rows of scales above lat. 1. about 90. 

 Maxillary reaching little beyond middle of orbit, 2^ in head; 

 lower jaw much projecting, with large symphyseal knob. Eye 

 3| in head; nasal spine obsolete; interorbital width 4^ in 

 head; anal spines, short, strong, graduated. Scales rough- 

 ctenoid. Dusky olivaceous, silvery below, flushed with red. 

 Peritoneum white. San Diego to San Francisco, goodei.i 

 cc. Parietal boaes usually meeting, mesethmoid processes better 

 developed, straight, not elevated. 



e. Peritoneum white; dorsal fin deeply emargiuate. 

 f. A. Ill, 9. 



* Sebasies paucispinis Ayres, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., i, 6, 1854. 



t Sebastodes goodei Eigenmann and Eigenmann, Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci., 

 12, 1890. 



