On New Genera and Species of Californian Fishes—No. III.
BY J. G. COOPER, M. D.
Myxodes Cuvier, 1817.
M. elegans, Cooper, State Collection, No. 707. [[Fig. 23.]]
Fig. 23.
Specific characters.—Form elongated, high and narrow, the head wider than the thickest part of body. Length of snout equal to diameter of eye, lower jaw very slightly longest. Total length a little more than four and a half times that of head, which is equal to the greatest height of body. Head moderately arched, rounded above, the width between eyes a little less than the width of orbit. Orbit circular, contained four and a half times in length of head. Anterior lobe of dorsal commencing just behind head, triangular, one-twentieth of the length of fin, equal to the middle lobe in height; middle lobe gradually arched, its spines more slender than those of the first lobe; posterior lobe with soft rays only, about equal to the first, in size and form, extending nearly to the tail. Caudal fin quadrangular, its end obtusely truncate, nearly twice as long as wide. Anal commencing opposite seventeenth dorsal spine, nearly straight, its height one-fifth its length, and ending a little anterior to end of dorsal. Ventrals narrow, the middle ray longest. Pectorals arising opposite third dorsal spine, nearly as wide as long.
D. V-xxvii to xxx-8; C. 5-5; A. 26 to 28; V. 3; P. 11.
Scales in about 250 rows along middle of side, in 18/50-18/18 vertical rows along lateral line. Proportional measurements: