Notes from the San Diego Biological Laboratory. i 2§ 



28. *Sebastichthys levis sp. nov. Type one specimen 

 .67 m. 



D. XIII, 13^; A. Ill, J%) lat. 1. 50; head 2%) depth 3. 



Head very large, pointed; its upper and lower outlines equally 

 inclined. Mouth large, lower jaw projecting and entering the 

 profile; a well developed symphyseal knob. Maxillary reaching 

 to below posterior margin of pupil, greatly dilated behind, its 

 width about equal to the diameter of the eye. Eye if in 

 snout, 5^ in head, 1 in interorbital which is ver}' slightly convex. 



Cranial ridges low and smooth, each one ending in a sharp 

 spine. Preocular, supraocular, postocular, tympanic and occi- 

 pital spines present. Occipital ridges diverging backward, long- 

 er than eye. Suborbital stay weak; opercular spines strong, 

 pointed. 



Gill rakers all short, about twice as high as wide. Scales of 

 the head all cycloid, each scale with numerous small accessory 

 scales. Mandible, maxillary and tip of snout naked, preorbital 

 with scattered patches of scales; scales of the body weakly ctenoid. 



Highest dorsal spine little less than half length of head, the 

 membranes very deeply incised, those of the first three spines 

 meeting the succeeding ones on their basal fifth, the incisions be- 

 coming gradually shallower backward, the tenth membrane 

 meeting the eleventh spine on its upper third. Dorsal rays con- 

 siderbly lower than the highest spine. Caudal emarginate. 

 Second anal spine greatly thickened, 4^ in head. Ventrals 

 about two in the head. Pectorals if . Peritoneum white. 



Pink, with four interrupted cross bars ot black, the first below 

 origin of dorsal, second below sixth dorsal spine, third below 

 tenth spine, fourth below seventh dorsal ray. Back sometimes 

 dusky. One specimen has a large black blotch on anterior part 

 of soft dorsal. 



This is one of the largest of the rock cods. It was occasion- 

 ally brought into the San Diego markets during the winter, but 

 for lack of sufficient material for comparison we did not venture 

 to publish a description at the time. It is moderately abun- 

 dant in deep water and can always be readily distinguished by 

 the color, the shape of the head and the deeply incised dorsal. 

 Those caught would average about eight pounds each. 



29. Sebastichthys constellatus Jordan and Gilbert. 

 Next to miniatus the most abundant species, averging much 

 less in size; 25 to 50 fathoms. Orange colored, the back usually 

 with olive green markings, sometimes colored like the sides. 

 Sides and back with many white or pale blue dots. A rose 

 colored spot under the fourth dorsal spine, another under the 

 eighth dorsal spine; one under last dorsal spine, another under 

 end of soft dorsal. 



30. *Sebastichthys rosaceus (Girard.) A small species 

 not rare. 20 to 40 fathoms. Sides brightest orange red, inter- 

 spersed below with white. Four light spots on sides surrounded 

 by purple. Back with many purple markings; sometimes the 



