6 AET. 13. — S. TAXAKA : 



snout short, slightly longer than half diameter of eye, the upper 

 j^rofile rather acutely curved. Anterior and posterior nostrils 

 very close to each other, situated about midway between tip of 

 snout and anterior rim of eye. Mouth large, directed slightly 

 upward ; lower jaw a little included ; teeth very slender, rather 

 closely set on both jaws ; none on vomer and palatines ; maxillary 

 extending to near preopercular angle ; no barbels on the mouth 

 parts. No spine on preopercular and opercular parts. Gill- 

 openings wide, the membranes procurrent below, slightly confluent 

 with each other, free from isthmus. Branchiostegals 8, gills 4 in 

 number. Gill rakers ou first gill-arch 9 + 13, the raker elongate, 

 its length about one-fifth length of head. Pesudobranchiœ 

 developed. Pectoral placed rather low, slender, its rays extending 

 a little beyond the middle between its insertion and that of 

 ventral. Ventral inserted a little before middle between its 

 insertion and that of anal, its tip hardly extending to vent. 

 Vent just in front of anal. 



Dorsal inserted a little nearer tip of snout than to insertion 

 of adipose fin, the insertion being over the eleventh scale of the 

 lateral line and above the origin of ventral ; length of the base 

 of dorsal fin longer than length of head, and its longest ray Is 

 in head, its last ray inserted over the eighth ray of anal (ex- 

 cluding the first 2 rudiraeutary rays). Anal originates under the 

 eighteenth scale of the lateral line ; length of its base about li 

 in head and equal to that of head witliout snout ; its longest ray 

 about li in head. Adipose fin very slender, nearer to end of 

 dorsal than to caudal base by a distance of diameter of eye. 

 Caudal moderate, deeply forked. 



Scales moderate, their posterior edge strongly toothed ; 

 caducous, a few scales persisting on the lateral line and under 



