22 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 79 



when mouth is closed; no barbels; branchial membranes broadly 

 united to isthmus, branchial apertures not reaching to below pre- 

 opercle; scales large, lateral line complete; all fins well developed; 

 dorsal fin long, last simple ray osseous, stout, denticulated, branched 

 rays numerous; last simple anal ray osseous, stout, branched rays 6. 



This genus presents a combination of characters which serve to 

 distinguished it readily. The outstanding features are the very deep 

 and compressed body; the highly modified lower jaw with the lips 

 restricted to the sides and the central part forming a strong, slender, 

 sharp-edged scoop; the strong, osseous, denticulated last simple ray 

 in the dorsal fin; the numerous branched dorsal rays; and the 

 presence of a strong, osseous, untoothed simple ray in the anal fin. 



In some members of the Bleekerian genus Sarcocheilichthys from 

 eastern Asia, the lower jaw is somewhat similar to that in Scaphog- 

 nathits, but the median lipless part is much less developed and not 

 scoop-like, and the mouth is inferior ; moreover, the last simple dor- 

 sal ray is not strongly osseous and not denticulated. 



SCAPHOGNATHUS STEJNEGERI, new species 



Description. — Body ovate, strongly compressed, depth 2 in stand- 

 ard length; greatest width of body about 0.25 depth and equal to 

 snout and eye; dorsal profile strongly arched, a slight concavity at 

 nape; back anterior to dorsal fin compressed to a moderately sharp 

 ridge; head short, compressed, bluntly pointed, 4.35 in length, its 

 depth somewhat less than length; snout short, a vertical groove on 

 each side, a few inconspicuous pores on lateral part in line with 

 lower edge of orbit; eye large, prominent, inclined outward and 

 downward, less than snout, 3.5 in head, 1.8 in convex interorbital 

 space, a free orbital rim; mouth terminal, maxillary not reaching 

 vertical from anterior margin of eye, gape narrow, upper lip partly 

 covered by snout and separated therefrom by a deep fold continued 

 around the corners of mouth and coterminous with lower lip; lips 

 rather thin, continuous, lower lip on each side occupying one-third 

 the width of jaw and deficient medianly; a long, slender, bony, 

 sharp-edged, scoop-like process occupying the middle of lower jaw, 

 its width much less than that of mouth, its length two-thirds diame- 

 ter of eye; no barbels; caudal peduncle short, broad, its least depth 

 less than its length and equal to snout and eye; lateral line gently 

 decurved , running in middle of caudal peduncle ; scales thin, 

 smaller on caudal peduncle and thorax, 28 or 29 in lateral series, 

 6.5-1^.5 in transverse series, 3.5 rows between lateral line and base 

 of ventrals, 12 in predorsal region, and 16 around narrowest part of 

 cadual peduncle ; a deep scaly sheath at base of anal. 



