386 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
3. HYPERPROSOPON * Gibbons. 
Hyperprosopon Gibbons, Daily Placer Times and Transcript, May 18, 1854 ; Proe. Acad. Nat. Sci. 
Phila. 1854, v. 7, 124 ( argenteus ); A. Agassiz, Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., v. 8, 132,1861. 
Ennichthys t Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1855, v. 7, 322 {megalops). 
Hyperprosodon t Troschel, Archiv f. Naturg., 21. Jahrg., Band 1, 338-344. 
Bramopsi8 § Agassiz, mss. (fide A. Agassiz) {men to). 
Hypocritichthys || Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1862, v. 14, 275 {analis). 
Amphistichus Jordan & Gilbert, Syn. Fish. N. Am., 590, 1883 (sp.). 
Holconotus Jordan, Cat. Fish. N. Am., 96, 1885 (sp.). 
Type: Hyperprosodon argenteus Gibbons. 
We have not been able to examine H. analis A. Agassiz, which oay constitute a 
genus distinct from Hyperprosopon. The latter is distinguished from Holconotus by 
the characters indicated in the key to the genera.** 
ANALYSIS OF SPECIES OF HYPERPROSOPON. 
a. Anal fin, ill, 23. {Hypocritichthys Gill.) 
h. Body comparatively elongate ; upper anterior profile nearly straight, depressed above the eyes. 
Snout sharp. Mouth large, very oblique, the tip of the lower jaw on a line with the upper 
profile of the snout; maxillary reaching front of orbit. Dorsal spines high and slender, 
longer than the soft rays, the middle longest; anal spines small; caudal fin short, not widely 
forked ; pectorals short and broad, four-fifths the length of head. Eye, five- fourths the length 
of snout; Head, 3-J-; depth, 2^; D. ix, 22; A. in, 23; lat. l.,63. Color silvery ; an inky blotch 
on the middle of the anal, and a fainter blotch on the spinous dorsal; front of anal yellow; 
fins otherwise plain. Axil black. (Jordan & Gilbert.) Analis, 3. 
aa. Anal fin, in, 29-32. Interorbital region rather abruptly depresse d at the nape. Eye large. 
{Hyperprosopon Gibbons.) 
Ventral fins broadly tipped with black; anal plain or with dusky margin, in, 33; D. ix, 27; 
lat. l.j 72-74. Eye, 3. Body ovate, the ventral profile somewhat more curved than the dorsal. 
Snout very short, considerably shorter than the eye. Maxillary not included under the orbital, 
reaching almost to the front of the orbit; mouth oblique, the low'er jaw projecting. Dorsal 
fin with middle spines higher than the last or than the soft rays ; anal low, spines slender. 
Head, 3-J ; depth, 2. “Color, bluish black above; sides bright silvery, sometimes faintly 
barred.” Argenteus, 4. 
cc. Ventral fins plain; anal blackish anteriorly, m, 30; D. ix, 25; lat. 1., 60-65. . Eye, 3f. Body 
elliptic ovate, the dorsal outline not curved as much as the ventral; snout very short, much 
shorter than the eye ; maxillary not included under the orbital, reaching nearly to the front 
of the orbit; mouth oblique, the lower jaw projecting. Sixth dorsal spine highest, higher 
than the soft rays ; anal low, the spines weak. Head, 3-J ; depth, 2. Color, “ greenish olive 
above, sides bright silvery ; 5 or 6 short blackish vertical bars on the sides, these sometimes 
obsolete; caudal reddish, dusky at tip.” Agassizii, 5. 
* Hyperprosopon : 'Y nip, above, and irpoaunov, face; alluding to the production upward of the 
facial outline and snout. 
t Ennichthys: Contracted from 'Evveoaoeinj, to hatch, and l\Qv ?, fish; in allusion to the viviparity, 
t Hyperprosodon: Probably due to a misapprehension of the etymology of Hyperprosopon, and 
perhaps supposed to have been derived from vn ip, quasi, excessively, and npboodop, sexual intercourse. 
$ Bramopsis: Brania, type of a peculiar family of Acanthopterygian fishes, and otinp, form; in 
allusion to a superficial resemblance of the genus to Brama. 
|| Hypocritichthys: ’YkokoItt/c, hypocrite, and ixOv (, fish ; alluding to the deceptive nature of the 
external appearance, the genus having much superficial resemblance to Cymatogaster in form as well 
as size, disguising in a measure its close affinity to Hyperprosopon . Type, H. analis. 
** Dr. Gill informs us that on the basis of the classification adopted the genus Hypocritichthys is 
valid and distinct from Hyperprosopon. 
