174 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
17. Flammeo scythrops Jordan & Evermann, new species. 
Head (measured to end of flap) 2.75 in length; depth 3; eye 3 in head; snout 4; maxillary 2.1; 
mandible 1.8; interorbital 5; D. xi, 13; A. iv, 9; scales 5-48-7, 5 rows on cheek; Br. 7. 
Body oblong, rather slender; dorsal outline gently and rather evenly curved from tip of snout to 
origin of soft dorsal, more nearly straight from tip of snout to nape; ventral outline less convex; head 
long; snout long and pointed; maxillary broad, with a strong supplemental bone whose lower edge 
forms a broad angle; end of maxillary slightly concave; lower jaw long, much projecting, tip promi- 
nent; mouth large, not greatly oblique; maxillary nearly reaching vertical at posterior line of pupil; 
lips broad, rounded, and soft; eye large, lower edge of pupil on axis of body; interorbital space with a 
broad, shallow groove between low ridges, one on each side; space between ridge and eye with short, 
curved ridges; nape on each side with a group of 8 or 10 short, sharp ridges, diverging backward and 
ending in short, sharp spines; posterior part of supraocular with a patch of short spines; suborbital 
dentate on its lower edge; preorbital with 2 blunt prominences in front, a strong, recurved spine 
below, ridges and spines on its upper surface; opercular bones all strongly striate, the striae ending 
in short spines; entire surface of interopercle seriate; opercle with 2 strong spines, the lower the 
stronger, its length 1.6 in orbit.; preopercle with a 'very strong spine at angle, its length nearly 
equaling diameter of orbit, its surface striate, and its base with a series of small spines; under surface 
of dentary somewhat roughened; surface of articular bone much rougher; jaws each with a broad 
band of villiform teeth, the outer series on upper jaw stronger; a narrow series on each palatine- and 
a patch on vomer; scales moderate, the surfaces usually nearly smooth, the edges finely toothed; a 
series of strongly striate scales across nape, and a strong, striated plate at shoulder; lateral line well 
developed, little arched, with about 45 pores; bases of soft dorsal and anal each with series of 
modified triangular scales; caudal with small scales on base and fine scales on membranes, extending 
well toward tips of outer rays; origin of spinous dorsal in advance of base of pectoral or over middle 
of upper opercular spine; dorsal spines in a broad, deep groove, moderately strong, middle one 
longest, 2.3 in head, first a little shorter than snout, tenth more than half eye; dorsal rays longer 
than spines, longest 2.2 in head; first anal spine very short, second about 3 times as long; third 
anal spine very long and strong, but little curved, reaching past base of anal, its length 1.5 in head; 
fourth anal spine shorter and more slender, its length 2.25 in head and equaling longest anal rays; last 
anal ray much shorter, 1.6 in eye; pectoral long and slender, 1.2 in head, the tip nearly reaching vent; 
ventrals shorter, equal to snout and eye; caudal forked, the lobes equal, not strongly divergent, their 
length about equaling that of third anal spine; rudimentary caudal spines 5 above, 4 below, strong 
and sharp. 
Color in life, head red above, paler on sides, nearly white below; tips of jaws rich red; side of 
body with about 10 or 12 narrow' yellow stripes separated by red or rosy stripes of about same width, 
those below paler and somewhat purplish; under parts purplish or pinkish white; the stripes begin- 
ning at edge of opercle and ceasing at base of caudal peduncle, which is rich red above, becoming 
paler on side and below; membranes between the first and third dorsal spines rich blood-red, those 
between other spines white at base, each with distal portion lemon-yellow in front and red behind, 
last 2 or 3 membranes with little or no yellow'; dorsal spines pale rosy, nearly white; soft dorsal, anal, 
pectoral, and ventral with rays rosy, membranes pale; ventral with a little yellow at base; anal spines 
somewhat dusky; caudal rich blood-red, paler distally; eye red, a narrow yellow ring around pupil. 
Another example (No. 03041), much faded, was bright red; stripes on side equally bright golden; 
fins red; edges of dorsal membranes pale; no markings evident on fins. 
Color in life of another example (No. 03451), side with 10 or 11 longitudinal golden or yellow 
bands; spinous dorsal more or less white; membranes between first and third dorsal spines more or 
less deep vermilion, except the upper marginal portion behind second spine, which is white; a red 
blotch along margin of membranes just before each of the other dorsal spines. 
Color when fresh of another specimen (No. 03490), violet-rose with 10 stripes of bright golden on 
side; dorsal red, mottled with golden, the first, two spines deep red; soft dorsal and other fins rather 
light red without edgings, and scarcely darker behind third anal spine; pectoral and ventrals pink; a 
red dash across cheek, space above and below whitish; temporal region deep red; iris red. 
All these colors fade in alcohol and the fish becomes a pale yellowish white, the longitudinal lines 
on side showing faintly as duller and brighter stripes of yellowish white; fins all whitish or yellowish 
white, membranes of spinous dorsal w'hiter. 
