BY J. DOUGLAS OGILBY. 17^ 



This species is allied to Thera'pon dUpticus, Richardson, from 

 which, however, it differs in the fin and scale formula, the more 

 strongly arched spinous dorsal, the truncated caudal, and the 

 somewhat different pattern of the coloration. Richardson's 

 species is also said to belong to the fresh-water section of the 

 genus, while the present fish is a marine form. 



PSEUDOSCARUS GYMNOGNATHOS. 



Scarus gymnognatJios, Bleeker, Nat. Tijdschr. Nederl. Ind. iv. 

 1853, p. 498, Batavia. 



Fseudoscarus gymnognathos, Bleeker, Atl. Ichth. i. p. 28, pi. xv. 

 f. 3, 1862. 



Fseudoscarus gymnognathus, Giinther, Catal. Fish. iv. p. 239, 1862. 



D. ix 10. A. ii 8. L.I. 20 + 6. L.tr. 2/7. 

 Depth of body 24, length of head 3 in the total length. Upper 

 profile of head convex, with a well-marked concavity in front of 

 the eyes. Diameter of eye 4| in the length of the head and ^ of 

 that of the snout. Lips covering about half the jaws, the inner 

 not reaching midway to the symphysis. Cheek-scales in two 

 transverse sei'ies, the lower consisting of six scales, all but the 

 first of which encroach on the jDreopercle; interopercle with a 

 single series. Jaws reddish-brown, with the tips white ; no 

 posterior pointed teeth. Nostrils minute, the anterior without 

 tentacle. Gill-rakers 13-f24. Dorsal fin originating above the 

 angle of the bony opercle; fourth and fifth spines longest, 2~ in the 

 head and as long as the penultimate and longest rays: anal com- 

 mencing below the second soft dorsal ray, the space between its 

 origin and the base of the caudal but little more than the length of 

 the head; second spine shorter than the first dorsal spine; dorsal 

 and anal fins angulated posteriorly: ventral pointed, 1-i in the head 

 and 14 in the distance between its origin and the anal : pectoral 

 with 15 rays, extending to the eighth scale of the lateral line, 1 1 

 in the head : caudal rounded, i of the total length; least depth 

 of caudal peduncle |- of its length and 2^ in the depth of the 

 body. Olive-bi'own, many of the scales darker at the base; the 



