F a m i l y .— SCIÆNIDÆ.
O t o l i t h u s a n a l i s . Jen.
This new species of OtolitJms is from Callao : it was omitted to be noticed in
the body of the work. There is but one specimen in the collection, in bad condition,
and not admitting of a very detailed description ; but it is evidently distinct
from all the species described by Cuvier and Valenciennes.
I t is rather more elongated than the 0 . Guatucupa, the depth heing not much more than
one-fifth of the entire length. T he head is long, and contained three and a half times in the
same. T he lower jaw is considerably the longest. The teeth above are small, and sharp-
pointed, apparently in two rows, the outer row being a little stronger than the inner : there
are two very strong canines in front, springing from between the rows. Below, the teeth are
in two rows in front, and one at the sides ; those in front small, but those at the sides unequally
sized, three or four, standing at intervals, being much stronger than the others, and
very sharp. Diam eter of the eye about one-sixth the length of the head ; its distance from
the end of the snout one diameter and a half.
T he lateral line is continued to the extremity of the caudal, between the ninth and tenth
rays. There is a small interval between the two dorsal fins. The second dorsal, as well as
the anal, are longer than in the 0 . Guatucupa, with more soft rays, especially the anal. The
pectorals are narrow and pointed, and between one-half and tw o-thirds the length of the
head. The ventrals are attached almost exactly beneath the pectorals. The caudal appears
to have been square.
D. 9—1/24; A. 1/16; P. 17; V. 1/5.
Length 12 inches.
C o lo u r .— T he colours were not noticed when recent, and can hardly be judged of now. The
general tin t appears to have been silvery. I f there were any markings, no traces of them
remain.
Habitat, Callao, Peru.
This species has a longer anal than any of the American species described
by Cuvier and Valenciennes. I have in consequence named it analis.
P r io n o d e s f a s c ia t u s . p . 4 7 .
It has been suggested that this may be nothing more than a monstrosity.
Whether this be really the fact or not, can only be determined by the examination
of more specimens. But in either case, I am so satisfied now of its being a
Serranus in all its essential characters, that I conceive it never can be placed in a
different family from that genus. If the fact he established of its never possessing
vomerine and palatine teeth, such a character can, at the very utmost, serve
only to distinguish it as a subgenus in that group. But every day is bringing
more and more to light the small value of that character.
S t e g a s t e s im b r ic a t u s . p . 6 3 .
I am informed by Mr. Lowe, of Madeira, that this is the same as the G lyphisodon
luridus of Cuvier and Valenciennes.* Their description is so short, that I
failed to recognize it ; and I was induced to consider it as a new genus from the
circumstance of its possessing vomerine teeth. Whether these teeth exist in any
other species, or have only been presumed absent in all, because not found in
some, I am not aware. But here again we see how little such a character is to he
depended upon.
F a m i l y .— BLENNIDÆ.
Mr. Darwin’s collection contains two new forms from South America, closely
allied to each other, yet forming distinct genera, and which will not enter into
any of those described by authors. At first it was conceived that they were
Malacopterygian fishes, more especially from their having all the rays in the
dorsal and anal fins articulated ; and to belong to the Apodal division of that
group, from their being supposed to be without ventrals ; but, on a closer inspection,
the ventrals, which are very small, were found to have been overlooked, and
it was evident altogether that the true place of these fishes in the system was
amongst the B lennidæ . The mention of this circumstance will explain why
they were omitted to be noticed in their proper place.
These two genera, so far as can be judged from the situations in which Mr.
Darwin obtained them, have the same habits as the Blennies, lurking under stones
and weeds ; and I propose to give them respectively the names of Iluocoetes and
Phucoccetes.
G e n u s .— ILUOCOETES.* Jexi.
Corpus elongatum, antice suhcylitulricmn, postice compressum, ensiforme, loeve, nudum,
alepidotum. R o strum hreve, obtusum, rotundatum, ultrà m axillam inferiorem pro-
ductum. D enies acuti, subconici, in utraque m axilU uniseriati : supra canini duo
fo rtes, curvati, aulici, et p ræ serie exstantes : in vomere denles pauci acuti aggreg
a ti ; in utroque palatino uniseriati. L in g u a lævis. Oculi grandes, prom inuli.
A pertura branchialis mediocriter fissa , membranâ quinque-radiatâ. A laxillæ , os
suborbitale, et proeoperculmn, tuhiporis cutaneis brevibus ad margines fim briatee.
P innoe ventrales jugulares, m inutæ , gracillissim oe , triradiatoe . P in n oe dorsalis et
analis proelongee, caudali coalescentes, radiis omnibus articulatis.
If I am rigbt in placing this new genus amongst the B lennidæ , it will evidently
take its place next to Zoarces, to which it is more nearly allied than to any other
• Hist, des Poiss. tom. 5. p. 356. t Ab limus, et eoisri cubile.
S t