638 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
last ray split to Base; anal base 27 hundredths of length; first 2 anal rays simple, others forked near 
tips, the last divided to base; none of the lower pectoral rays modified; some of the upper rays 
longest, 24 hundredths of length; lower rays progressively shortened, the base obliquely procurrent; 
a few of the longer middle rays forked, but most of them simple; ventral fins inserted slightly in 
advance of lower base of pectorals; ventral spine strong, half the length of the third ray, w T hich is the 
longest, 17 hundredths of length; all ventral rays forked; caudal truncate or slightly rounded, the 
rays all forked, except the shortened procurrent rays at upper and lower margins of the fin. 
Scales very large, those above lateral line in series parallel with the back ; scales marked with very 
fine concentric lines having their center near the free margin; they have no radiating striae, but 
the free margin is densely beset with short spines; scales thus not of the normal type, having the 
pectination ctenoid and the concentric rings cycloid, though the center of the rings is again abnormal 
in position; scales below lateral line much smaller than those on back, and becoming still smaller 
on belly and breast, where their margins are mostly entire; cheeks, opercles, and occiput scaled, 
snout and jaws naked; small scales also covering bases of caudal and pectoral fins; lateral line 
descending in a curve to middle of sides, which it reaches under middle of soft dorsal. 
Color in life, reddish above, over an olive ground; belly whitish; the red color intensified on 
cheeks, on opercles, in a blotch under spinous dorsal, one under soft dorsal and one on caudal peduncle; 
soft dorsal and caudal barred with red, and translucent, anal and spinous dorsal uniform red; pectorals 
marked with irregular red blotches; ventrals silvery, tinged with red. 
In the cotype, 86 mm. long, from the same locality, there are 29 scales in the lateral line, and 24 
rays in each pectoral fin. No other differences have been detected. 
Only 2 specimens secured. 
Family PERISTEDIIDiE. 
Peristedion Mans Gilbert & Cramer. 
Frequently taken in depths of 225 to 350 fathoms, but never in large numbers. The following - 
details may be added to the original description: Length of head contained 2.65 to 2.75 times in length. 
Of 10 specimens examined as to fin rays, 7 have D. vix, 21, A. 21; 2 specimens have D. vii, 21, A. 22; 
1 has D. vii, 22; A. 22. Last dorsal spine attached by membrane to first soft ray, the notch between 
the 2 apparently deepest in adults. First 5 or 6 plates -accompanying lateral line forming a short 
convex curve above pectorals. Mandibular joint opposite, or slightly in advance of, anterior third 
of orbit; spinous plates on mandibular rami compressed, attached by their edge; gill-rakers 4 + 22 in 
number, 2 or 3 at either end of series reduced to soft papillae; 8 very short thick pyloric caeca; ovaries 
united posteriorly. The stomach contains the remains of small crustaceans, together with much that 
is unidentifiable. 
Color in life dull reddish, young with much dusky marking, which is especially developed along 
margins of plates on head and body Adults nearly uniform clear red. Spinous dorsal black; pectorals 
black, narrowly margined with white in young, in adults dusky in distal half only. 
In young specimens, the lateral margins of the head show usually 2 projections which disappear 
with age, one below anterior border of orbit, the other below posterior b'order; all the spines of the 
head are much higher in the young, the interorbital space appearing more deeply concave. Immedi- 
ately above the long preopercular spine, there develops usually in older individuals a slender spine 
directed upward and backward. 
The species was taken at the following stations: Nos. 3839, off the south coast of Molokai, 259 to 
266 fathoms; 3867, Pailolo Channel, 284 to 290 fathoms; 3911, off the south coast of Oahu, 334 to 337 
fathoms; 3912, off the south coast of Oahu, 310 to 334 fathoms; 3917, off the south coast of Oahu, 294 
to 330 fathoms; 3919, off the south coast of Oahu, 220 to 257 fathoms; 3920, off the south coast of 
Oahu, 265 to 280 fathoms; 3988, vicinity of Kauai, 165 to 469 fathoms; 4001, vicinity of Kauai, 230 to 
277 fathoms; 4085, off the north coast of Maui, 267 to 283 fathoms; 4122, off the southwest coast of 
Oahu, 192 to 352 fathoms; 4130, vicinity of Kauai, 283 to 309 fathoms; 4132, vicinity of Kauai, 257 to 
312 fathoms; 4134, vicinity of Kauai, 225 to 334 fathoms; 4136, vicinity of Kauai, 294 to 352 fathoms. 
Peristedion Hans Gilbert & Cramer, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. XIX, 1897, 419, pi. xli, figs. 1, 2. 
