A new sand lance, Ammodytoides pylei, is described from 17
specimens collected on sand substratum in the depth range of 7 to 120 m from
Molokai to the Ladd Seamount in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. It is
characterized by 48-52 dorsal rays, 22-25 anal rays, 15-17 pectoral rays,
109-1 16 lateral-line scales, 29-33 gill rakers, 59-60 vertebrae, an elongate body
(depth 8.5-10 in standard length [SL]), and a series of small blackish spots at
the margin of the dorsal fin. The spawning behavior is described
