Gli^OC-jj^ Vol. 79, pp. 183-204 15 August 1966 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON ^ A NEW TRIBE AND A NEW SPECIES OF OPHIDIOID FISH By Daniel M. Cohen Ichthyological Laboratory, Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Washington, D. C. Among the shallow-water, viviparous ophidioids with a separate caudal fin and a hard copulatory apparatus, is a group of several genera which are more closely related to each other than to the Dinematichthys-Ogilbia group with which some of them have been confused. Even though much is yet unknown about the species and genera, at this stage in our knowledge of these fishes it seems more desirable to emphasize phyletic differences rather than similarities. There-fore I propose to segregate these forms into a tribe which is diagnosed below. I am indebted to the following individuals who have assisted me by commenting on parts of the manuscript. Dr. Bruce CoUette, Mr. Charles Dawson, Dr. William Gosline, Mr. R. J. McKay, Dr. Victor Springer, and Dr. Boyd Walker. Curators who have helped me by lending specimens are: Dr. James Bohlke, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (ANSP); Mr. R. J. McKay, Western Australian Museum (WAM); Prof. J. L. B. Smith, Rhodes University (RU); and Dr. Frank Talbot, South African Museum ( SAM ) and Australian Museum ( AM ) . Dr. Talbot has been particularly patient with me, in Cape Town and Sydney, and it is a pleasure to name for him the new species described in this paper. Definitions of terms and abbreviations are given in Cohen (1964). DERMATOPSINI, new tribe Type-genus Dermatopsis Ogilby, 1896 Diagnosis: Small, secretive, viviparous ophidioids with a single pair of hard genital claspers ( Figs. 2, 4, 5 ) ; scales nonimbricate or at most barely overlapping; scales probably lacking on head, but if present, only as a few scattered scales, not as a discrete patch; posterior end of maxillary not greatly expanded vertically ( Fig. lA ) . Relationships: Dermatopsini is most closely related to the Dine-28— Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. 79, 1966 (183) INSTITUTION «"^J-^ ^^
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