336 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



vol. 48. 



SEBASTODES AURORA (Gilbert). 



Station 4418, off Santa Barbara Island, 238-310 fathoms. 



A rather wide variation is found in the size and shape of the second 

 anal spine and in the robustness and the length of the gill rakers. 

 The second anal spine varies from straight to strongly curved and 

 varies in length from half to two-sevenths the length of the head. 

 The gill rakers are sometimes slender, sometimes much more robust, 

 and vary in length from two-fifths to four-sevenths the diameter of 

 the eye. Similar differences are found among the type-specimens of 

 the species. 



In addition to the color already described, the species has in life 

 3 faint red bars, 2 under spinous and 1 under soft dorsal. Young 

 specimens have a dark blotch under soft dorsal in the course of the 

 red bar. 



SEBASTODES ENTRONIGER (Gilbert). 

 List of stations. 



4339 

 4410 

 4418 



Off San Diego 



Off Santa Catalina Island 

 Off Santa Barbara Island 



Fathoms. 

 241-369 

 178-195 

 238-310 



As is usual in adults of this species, the second anal spine is appar- 

 ently a little shorter than the third, failing to reach the tip of the 

 third when declined, although the actual measured length of the two 

 is about the same. In the young the second spine appears equal to 

 the third, and its measured length is a little greater. The specimens 

 in the present collection bear out the alleged differences between this 

 species and S. melanostomus, the head being less than one-third the 

 total length, the interorbital width less than one-fifth the length of 

 the head, the lateral line 30 to 32 and the gill rakers one-half to 

 two-fifths the diameter of the eye. No specimens answering the 

 description of S. melanostomus have been taken by the Albatross, and 

 none but the type is known. It may well prove that the alleged 

 differences between the two species are due to errors in the original 

 description of 8. melanostomus, in which case the name introniger 

 will give way to melanostomus. 



SEBASTODES RUBERRIMUS Cramer. 



A few immature specimens were taken at the following stations : 



SEBASTODES ROSACEUS (Girard). 



Station 4420, off San Nicolas Island, 32-33 fathoms. 



