DESCRIPTIONS OF EIGHTEEN NEW SPECIES AND TYY< ) 

 NEW GENERA OF FISHES FROM JAPAN AND THE 

 RIU KIU ISLANDS. 



By John Otterbein Snyder, 

 of Stanford University. 



A study of the shore fishes of Japan, collected during the recent 

 explorations of the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries steamer Albatross in 

 the north Pacific Ocean and along the shores of Japan, was assigned 

 to the writer by Dr. Charles II. Gilbert, naturalist in charge. Pend- 

 ing the preparation of a complete report, it is thought best to publish 

 the following preliminary* descriptions of new species and genera. 



Family LEPTOCEPHALIDJv 



LEPTOCEPHALUS FLAVIROSTRIS, new species. 



Head l.T in trunk; 3.2 in tail; 5.9 in length: head and trunk \:1 

 in tail; eye 4.7 in head: snout 4.7; depth of body 2.3. 



Snout rather pointed, the upper jaw projecting somewhat beyond 

 the lower: nostril tube very short; posterior nostril farther from 

 angle of mouth than tip of snout. Branchial cleft wide. 5.7 in head, 

 its upper edge at base of third ray of pectoral, counting from above. 

 Mouth small, the cleft extending to a point below middle of pupil; 

 upper lips thin, the lower somewhat thicker and pendent ; tongue 

 acutely pointed, the tip and edges free. Teeth of jaws small, slender, 

 in bands; the bands broad anteriorly, growing narrow posteriorly 

 where they lie in a single row: median teeth of upper jaw in a band 

 of 4 or 5 rows, short and rather blunt. 



Lateral line pores distinct, without color, 43 anterior to a point 

 above anal opening. Dorsal inserted anterior to base of pectoral a 

 distance equal to width of branchial cleft; membranes of dorsal and 

 anal thin, the rays plainly showing; height of dorsal equal to length 

 of snout, anal about equal to width of branchial cleft ; caudal very 

 short ; pectorals obtuse, the upper rays longest. 3.2 in head. 



Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. XXXV— No. 1635. 



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