Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Volume III, 1863-1867Various
Science
Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, Volume III, 1863-1867
Various
California Academy of Sciences -- Periodicals; Science -- Periodicals
A single example of this species now before me has been
preserved in spirits several years. It is in fine condition,
though the colors are much faded. The general shape is
oblong-oval, and much compressed. The thickness at the base
of the head enters about five and a half times in the total
length. The whole surface is covered with crowded minute hispid
asperities, and very small, remote, cutaneous, tuft-like
appendages. The head, as viewed in profile, is irregularly
rounded, the chin forming the anterior end, being slightly
in advance of the mouth. The eyes are exceedingly small,
elliptically oval in shape, their greatest diameter being only
three-twentieths of an inch. Their distance from the margin
of the upper jaw is five times their own length. The mouth is
vertical. On the top of the snout, midway between the eyes
and the end of the upper jaw, is a long setaceous appendage,
articulated to a tubercle, and tufted at the end. On the
cranium there are two stout, curved processes, which project
posteriorly, the hind one the largest, and both enveloped in
the integuments. The dorsal fin takes its origin at a point
corresponding to the middle of the total length of the fish,
caudal exclusive. Its height equals the length of its own base.
The caudal trunk and fin are slightly oblique to the horizontal
axis of the body. The anal fin is small and rounded off along
its outer margin. The rays in all the fins have their ends
slightly prolonged in little fleshy points. The color, as noted
from the living fish, is dark red, with irregular, cloud-like
markings and spots, dusky gray. Everywhere maculated with
small, irregular, dusky spots, which are the most numerous on
the belly. A few deep black maculations on the vertical fins
and scattering ones on the body. The interior of the mouth and
tongue are mottled with red and white. Irides pale flesh color;
cornea black. The smooth inner surfaces of the pectoral and
ventral fins are intensely red.
Length, 8½ inches.
Habitat, Sandwich Islands.
REMARKS.—This fine large species is very rare. As compared with
the _C. leprosus_ from the same location, it is much larger,
more compressed, the eyes much smaller and the ground color is
quite different. In the _leporina_ the eyes are less than twice
their own diameter distant from the anterior margin of the
upper jaw. In our fish they are five diameters distant from the
same point.
CHÆTODON L.
_Chætodon multicinctus_ Garrett.
D. 13-24; A. 3-19; V. 1-5; P. 14; C. 3, 1, 8, 7, 1, 2.
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