Part 12

Scorpæna Histrio. Nat. Size. ]

This species very closely approaches the P. lævigatus of Cuvier and Valenciennes, with which it particularly agrees in the smoothness of its head, and large approximating eyes. The two spines, however, at the angle of the preopercle appear to be still smaller than in that species; the fin-ray formula is a little different; and so also are the colours; the first dorsal being particularly characterized by a large irregular dark-coloured stain on its posterior portion, and the anal and ventrals being almost wholly dusky, instead of pale with spots on the rays only, as in the P. lævigatus. Possibly it may be a mere variety. Mr. Darwin’s specimen was obtained at King George’s Sound.

FAMILY—SCORPÆNIDÆ.

SCORPÆNA HISTRIO. Jen.

PLATE VIII.

S. toto corpore coccineo, pinnis pallidioribus, maculis parvis irregularibus nigricantibus: capite magnâ ex parte alepidoto, lineis spinosis solitis armato: pinnâ dorsali spinis inæqualibus, tertiâ paulo longissimâ: capite et lateribus cirris cutaneis parvis ubique adornatis; quatuor palpebralibus, præsertim duobus posterioribus, majoribus, palmatis.

B. 7; D. 12/9; A. 3/5; C. 13, &c.; P. 20; V. 1/5. LONG. unc. 9.

FORM.—General form resembling that of the S. Scrofa. Depth at the pectorals just one-fourth of the entire length. Thickness a trifle more than two-thirds of the depth. Head more than one-third of the entire length. Eyes large and elevated, distant from the end of the snout rather more than one diameter; the space between very concave, twice as long as broad, with two whitish lines in the central furrow, diverging as they recede backwards towards the nape, but scarcely elevated into salient ridges. Mouth oblique, with the gape large and the lower jaw a little the longest; when closed, the end of the maxillary, which is broad and much dilated, reaches to a vertical line from the posterior part of the orbit. A broadish band of velutine teeth in each jaw as well as on the vomer and palatines. Tongue smooth. A small sharp triangular spine on each of the nasal bones, (in this specimen that on the left side is double or forked): upper margin of the orbit, which is much elevated, with three spines, one strong one at the anterior angle, and two, nearly as large, further back; beyond which, on the left orbit only, is a fourth smaller one. Space between the eyes bounded posteriorly by a raised arc having the curvature inwards, with a spine on each side; this is followed by the depressed occiput, which forms a hollow; and on each side of this, at its posterior margin, or at the commencement of the nape, are two other strong spines: there are likewise two spines at the suprascapulars, and between these and the posterior margin of the orbit of the eye, on what may be called the temples, are two more; of these last, the first, which is small and close to the orbit, is double; the second, which is larger and situate a little above the upper angle of the preopercle, is, in this specimen, double on the right side and single on the left. The first suborbital has two spines on its anterior margin, the first directed forwards, and the second downwards; on its disk are two salient ridges, which are unarmed, and not very conspicuous. The second suborbital is entirely without spines, but elevated in the middle into a double smooth ridge or crest. Margin of the preopercle with six spines; the second longest; the first, as well as the two lowermost, small and inconspicuous. Opercle with two osseous diverging ridges terminating in spines: the scapular and clavicular bones likewise terminate each in a flattened spine. Lateral line and scales much as in S. Scrofa; the latter with their free edges perfectly smooth.

The cutaneous filaments and appendages on this species are as follows: three small ones at the extremity of the snout; one small but broad one at the upper margin of the anterior orifice of the nostril; two very conspicuous palmated ones on each orbit, especially the posterior one, which is largest, and very broad; two on the margin of the first suborbital; some small ones on the cheeks and maxillaries; six beneath the lower jaw, two being near the symphysis, and two on each ramus; a row on the margin of the preopercle, and very numerous small ones scattered about the nape and sides of the body, of which a row along the lateral line are rather more conspicuous than the others.

The spines of the dorsal fin are moderately strong, and unequal; the first is rather more than half the length of the second, which itself is two-thirds of the third; this last is less than half, but more than two-fifths, of the depth of the body; from the third, the spines decrease very gradually to the eleventh, which is a little longer than the first; the twelfth is higher than the eleventh by one-third: soft portion of the fin rounded, and where most elevated just equalling in height the third or longest spine. Anal spines very unequal; the first not very stout, and less than half the length of the second, which is very strong indeed, as well as the longest of the three; the third is stouter than the first, but not nearly so stout as the second, though nearly equalling that spine in length: soft portion of this fin with its greatest elevation rather exceeding the second spine. Caudal slightly rounded. Pectorals rather more than one-fifth of the entire length; the ten lowermost rays simple; the nine immediately above these branched; the uppermost of all simple like the bottom ones, but slenderer as well as shorter than the others. Ventrals not above two-thirds the length of the pectorals; in other respects as in S. Scrofa.

A second specimen.—Smaller than the one above described, measuring seven inches and a half in length. The two diverging lines on the cranium between the eyes are rather more salient, and the left orbit is without the fourth spine; but in all other respects, including the fin-ray formula, the two specimens are exactly similar.

COLOUR.—“Whole body scarlet red, fins rather paler; with small irregularly-shaped light black spots.”—D.

Habitat, Chatham Island, Galapagos Archipelago.

This species differs more or less in the details of form, as well as colours, from all those which I can find described by authors. Most of the foreign species of this genus noticed by Cuvier and Valenciennes, come either from the eastern coast of America or the East Indies; and they do not appear to have received any from that part of the Pacific, whence the present one was obtained.

SEBASTES OCULATA. Val.?

Sebastes oculata, Cuv. et Val. Hist. des Poiss. tom. ix. p. 344.

FORM.—Greatest depth contained about three times and three quarters in the entire length. Head about one-third of the same. Eyes large; the interocular space, equalling rather more than half their diameter, concave, with two longitudinal ridges running respectively parallel to the two superciliary ridges. Two spines on the upper part of the snout, in a line with the nostrils; one at the anterior part of the orbit; three at the posterior, passing off in a line towards the occiput, where there are two other moderately strong ones terminating the lateral occipital ridges; five very strong spines or teeth edging the rounded angle of the preopercle; two sharp ones at the posterior angle of the opercle, the upper one most developed; one at the scapula, and two at the suprascapular. There are either three orifices to each nostril, or else, adjoining the two usual openings, a large pore so manifest (at least in this specimen in its dried state) as easily to be mistaken for a third: this additional one is close to the nasal spine. Dorsal spines of only moderate strength: anal stronger, especially the second, which is very stout, as well as the longest of the three; the third, however, is more than half the length of the soft rays. Pectorals broad and rounded; their length contained about four times and a half in the entire length; first ray simple, the next eight branched, the nine lowermost simple again, and rather stouter than the others. The caudal appears to have been square. Scales small and ciliated, covering nearly the entire head, as well as body, but very thinly scattered on the extremity of the snout in advance of the nostrils.

D. 13/14; A. 3/6; C. 14, and 3 shorter ones; P. 18; V. 1/5. Length 10 inches.

COLOUR.—“Under surface, sides, branchial covering, and part of the fins, ‘tile and carmine red;’ dorsal scales pale yellowish dirty brown.”—D. In its present dried state, the colour is of a uniform brown.

Habitat, Valparaiso.

This species is probably the S. oculata of Valenciennes; but the depth rather exceeds, and in its recent state it must have still more exceeded, one-fourth of the entire length, the proportion given in the “Histoire des Poissons.” The spines on the opercle and suprascapular also can hardly be called “smaller,” as there stated, than those on the orbit and occiput, at least the upper one on the opercle. There are also two soft rays less in the anal. It may be added further, that Mr. Darwin’s notes make no mention of the four brilliant rose-coloured spots along the base of the dorsal fin, spoken of by Valenciennes.

The S. oculata was discovered by M. Gay at Valparaiso, where Mr. Darwin’s specimen also was obtained. It is the only species of this genus on record brought hitherto from South America. It may be stated, however, that Mr. Darwin has a drawing of another species, made by Mr. P. King, found also at Valparaiso, differing from the above in having the spines on the head less developed, and apparently, in some of its characters, approaching the S. variabilis. This last is a species inhabiting the sea which separates N. America from Kamtschatka.

AGRIOPUS HISPIDUS. Jen.

PLATE VII. FIG. 2. Twice nat. size. Fig. 2 a. Nat. size. Fig. 2 b. Portion of the hispid cuticle magnified.

A. pallidè rubro-aurantius, dorso nigricante, pinnis nigro-maculatis: corpore hispido, altitudine tertiam partem longitudinis æquante; spirits nasalibus duâbus parvis recurvis; vomere dentibus velutinis minutissimis instructo: pinnâ dorsali inæquali, anticè allevatâ, spinis quartâ et quintâ paulo longissimis, succedentibus gradatim diminutis, ultimâ radiis articulatis multò breviori.

D. 17/13; A. 1/8; C. 13, &c.; P. 9; V. 1/5. LONG. unc. 1. lin. 9.

FORM.—General form resembling that of the A. torvus, but the depth much greater, equalling one-third of the entire length, or very nearly. Length of the head somewhat less than the depth of the body. The line of greatest depth passes through the insertion of the pectorals. The profile viewed apart from the superciliary ridges, which are sharp and prominent, falls in a straight but very oblique line from the commencement of the dorsal to the mouth. On each side of the median line of the snout, in advance of the eyes, is a small but sharp spine, directed upwards and backwards. There are also two minute spines on the first suborbital immediately above and behind the end of the maxillary; these are placed one over the other, the uppermost, which is the sharpest and most conspicuous, taking an upward direction like the nasal spines, the lowermost, which is blunt and not so obvious, a downward one. Mouth small, without any teeth that can be discerned even with a lens; but a decided roughness can be felt on the vomer, seeming to indicate the presence of minute teeth on that part. The superciliary ridges, already alluded to, are slightly granulated, and terminate behind in two sharp triangular points. The occipital ridges, a ridge on the posterior suborbital immediately beneath the eye, and an interrupted ridge on the temples and suprascapulars, are in like manner granulated, or rather obscurely crenated. The opercle and preopercle are marked with a few striæ, but show neither granulations nor spines. Gill-opening very small. No scales on any part of the head and body; but the whole surface of the latter is hispid with minute bristly appendages to the cuticle, each springing from a minute papilla. There are also a number of fine lines traversing the cuticle in two directions, and forming a kind of network. The lateral line commences at the suprascapular, and terminates a little beyond the end of the dorsal, not reaching quite to the caudal; its course is nearly, but not exactly, parallel to the dorsal line, the distance between them being at first one-third, but towards the caudal between one-third and one-fourth of the depth.

Dorsal very much elevated anteriorly, but its height by no means uniform throughout; the first spine one-fourth shorter than the second; this again a little shorter than the third; and this last a very little shorter than the fourth and fifth, which are longest, and which equal three-fourths of the depth of the body; sixth and succeeding ones gradually decreasing, the ninth being about equal to the first, the twelfth about one-third shorter; the next four are scarcely shorter than the twelfth, and the seventeenth or last is a little higher than the sixteenth; then follows the soft portion of the fin, which is here again elevated, the soft rays being nearly double the length of the last spinous. The anal answers in position to the first two-thirds of the soft dorsal, terminating before that fin, as in A. torvus: the fourth, fifth, and sixth soft rays are longest, and much longer than the soft rays of the dorsal; the spine is short and slender, and not much more than half the length of the first soft ray. The last ray of both dorsal and anal is divided quite to the root so as to appear as two. The caudal appears to have been rounded, but the ends of the rays are worn and broken. Pectorals long, equalling one-third of the entire length: they consist of nine rays, the three middle ones of which are longest; the three upper and the three lower ones are respectively equal; all the rays simple. Ventrals much shorter than the pectorals, and, though attached rather more behind, not reaching so far; their spine is rather stout, much more so than that of the anal, and about three-fourths the length of the first two soft rays, which are the longest in the fin.