WEST AFRICA ii 



CHILODIPTERIDAE 



Genus Synagrops, Giinther 



Melanostoma (non Schiner), Steindachner and Doderlein, 1884. Type M. japonicum, Steind. 



and Doderl. 

 Synagrops, Giinther, 1887. Type Melanostoma japonicum, Steind. and Doderl. 

 Parascombrops, Alcock, 1889. Type P. pellucidiis, Alcock. 

 Hypoclydonia, Goode and Bean, 1895. Type H. bella, Goode and Bean. 

 MaccuUochina, Jordan, 1922. Type Synagrops serratospinosa. Smith and RadclitTe. 



Key to the species^ 

 I. Fin-spines all without serrae. [Synagrops.] 



A. About 30 scales in lateral line; depth 3I to more than 4 in length; eye 3 to 3 1 in head; 

 anal II 7. 



1. Maxillary to below centre of eye, 2I to 2^ in head bellus (Goode and Bean) 



2. Maxillary to below anterior margin of pupil, 2J in head japonicus (Steind. and Doderl.) 



B. About 40 scales in lateral line; depth 3^ to 3^ in length; eye 3I to 3I in head; anal II 9 



microlepis, sp.n. 



II. Spines of pelvics and sometimes anterior spines of dorsal and anal with serrae on outer edges. 

 {Parascombrops.} 



A. Only pelvic spines with serrae; snout nearly as long as eye; depth 3! to 4 in length 



philippinensis (Giinth.) 



B. Anterior spines of dorsal and anal as well as spines of pelvics with serrae; snout much 

 shorter than eye; depth 3 to 3I in length serratospinosus. Smith and Radcl. 



Through the courtesy of the United States National Museum, I have been able to 

 examine an authentic specimen of S. japonicus from Suruga Bay (' Albatross ', No. 51434, 

 100 mm.). I have also seen 4 specimens of S. bellus from the Dry Tortugas, Florida, 

 received through the kindness of Dr W. H. Longley, and have included a redescription 

 of that species here. 5. japonicus and the two species of the subgenus Parascombrops 

 have recently been redescribed by Fowler," and full synonymies will be found in his 

 paper. 



Synagrops bellus (Goode and Bean). 



Hypoclydonia bella, Goode and Bean, 1895, Ocean. Ichth., p. 236, fig. 237; Jordan and Evermann, 

 1896, Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., xlvh (i), p. 11 15, fig. 475. 



Depth of body 3! to 3 f in the length, length of head about 3. Snout a little more 

 than I as long as eye, diameter of which is 3 to 3 J in length of head and a little greater 

 than interorbital width. Maxillary extending to below middle of eye, length 2^ to 2^ 

 in that of head ; lower jaw projecting. Upper jaw with broad bands of minute villiform 

 teeth, which are separated at the symphysis, and with a pair of strong, slightly curved 

 canine teeth anteriorly. Lower jaw with a marked concavity anteriorly on each side 

 of the symphysis ; anterior part of jaw with bands of minute villiform teeth, and with a 



1 Synagrops natalensis, Gilchrist, from Natal, has been very briefly described, but is probably identical 

 with S. japonicus. 



2 1930, Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., c (10), p. 136. 



