New genera of deep-water Gurnards (Peristediidae) from the Philippine Islands

Vol. 30, pp. 145-146 July27, 1917

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON

NEW GENERA OF DEEP-WATER GURNARDS (PERI- STEDIIDAE) FROM THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.

BY HUGH ^M. SMITH.

The

Philippine collectionsof the "Albatross

"

_are

very ^rich in peristedioid ^fishes as regards both individuals

and

_species.

The most

interesting specimens ^{are those} representing

two

hitherto undescribed genera

which

necessitatea modificationof the definition of the Peristediidae.

The new

_genera

have

been

named Gargariscus and Hemi=

nodus, and

^their outstanding differential character is that the

upper

jaw ^istoothed,

whereas

Peristedion is edentulate in both jaws.

The

following

key shows

^the relationships ^of the three genera:

A. Both _jawstoothless Peristedion.

AA. _Only lowerjaw^toothless.

b. Cephalic^shield

much

_expanded,flattened,themargin^cre- nate; ^rostral processes longandflat; barbelsveryhighly developed; mouth moderate; ^teeth on premaxillaries in a broad band extending ^{half distance to} angle ^of

mouth Gargariscus.

bb. Cephalic^{shield little}expanded, ^themargin^{entire; rostral} processes short and spine-like, not flattened; barbels short and _few; mouth _{very large;} teeth on _pre- maxillaries in a broad band _extending to angle ^of

mouth Heminodus.

Gargariscus, new genus.

Similar to Peristedion in general appearance, but withcephalic^shield more expanded ^{and its edge} deeply crenated^; premaxillaries bearing a broad bandof fineteethextending from symphysis ^half way^toangle^of mouth.

34—Proc.Biol. Soc.Wash..Vol.30. 1917. (145)

146 Proceedings ^ofthe Biological Society of Washington.

Type of^thegenus.

—

Thegenuscontains onlyone

known

species,Gar=

gariscus semidentatus,

new

species.

Typeof thespecies.—

The

_type is 22.7 cm. _long, from adepth ^{of 169} fathomsintheMindanao Sea,on a bottom of globigerina ooze("Alba- tross" station 5517). U. S.Nat. Mus. No. 78,249.

The collection contains 12 examples obtained from dredging ^stations between northern Mindanao^{and Verde}Island Passage,ⁱⁿ depths ^{of 118} to805fathoms. Thespecimens range from ^(3.5to25.0cm. in length.

Heminodus, newgenus.

Thedifferential characters areshown^intheabovekey.

Type of thegenus.

—

The_genuscontains asingle

known

_species,

Hemi=

nodus philippinus,

new

species.

Typeof the species.

—

The _type is 16.8 cm. long, from the Mindanao Sea off Tawi-tawi ("Albatross" ^station 5517). U. S. Nat. Mus. No.

78,250.

Thecollectioncontainstwootherspecimens from two^otherstations in thesame _region, the deepestdredgehaul beingⁱⁿ 277 fathoms.