ABT. 7 



NEW SIAMESE FISHES SMITH 



43 



but contiguous, the rays of VI-I,9 ; soft rays subequal, slender, deeply 

 divided, the last ray reaching caudal when flexed; caudal broad, 

 regularly rounded, the central rays equal to distance from middle of 

 pupil to gill opening; anal rays 1,9, similar to but lower than second 

 dorsal, origin of fin under second soft ray of dorsal, base shorter 

 than that of second dorsal, the flexed last ray reaching caudal ; pec- 

 toral rays 19, the fins broad, rounded, longer than caudal, and reach- 

 ing somewhat beyond origin of anal ; ventrals short, rounded, form- 

 ing a deep cup, with the rays thickened inside the cup. 



Color : Body brownish red, darkest on back ; abdomen pale yellow ; 

 head pale crimson; all fins except ventrals jet black, the pigment 

 dense and opaque ; ventrals black at base, dusky distally ; iris green, 

 with golden reflection. 



Type. — A specimen 1.5 cm. long, taken from a coral head in shallow 

 water at Koh Tao, Gulf of Siam. September 24, 1928. Cat. No. 

 90319, U.S.N.M. 



Figure 20. — Pakagobiodon keriu 



Remarks. — This diminutive goby, of which only a single specimen 

 has yet been collected, is distinguished from closely related species 

 {Tnelanosomus and xanthosomus) by a combination of characters. 

 Thus, melanosonius^ known from the east coast of Africa, Dutch East 

 Indies, and Philippines, has 10 soft dorsal rays, 10 soft anal rays, 

 21 or 22 pectoral rays, and the color black or dark brown with black 

 fins ; while xanthoso7iius.) from Samoa, Dutch East Indies, and Phil- 

 ippines, has 9 or 10 soft dorsal rays, 8 or 9 soft anal rays, 19 pectoral 

 rays, and the color uniform yellow or green, with all of the fins pale 

 yellow or other clear color, never black. 



This little species is named for Dr. A. F. G. Kerr, Government 

 botanist, who has made four visits to Koh Tao and has published the 

 only account of the geography and botany of the island. 



RHINOGOBIUS SIMILIS, new species 



Description. — Form moderately elongate, head and body com- 

 pressed; depth 4.4 in standard length; head not broader than body. 



