no. 1287. JAPANESE TRIGGER-FISHES— JORDAN AND FOWLER. 261 



This species is common in the East Indies, and one (Day) young- 

 example has been recorded by Dr. Giinther from Japan, prol)ably from 

 the Riukiu Islands. The proper specific name is uncertain, as the oldest 

 specific name in this group, Cantkidermis Tnaculatus^ belongs to an 

 American species. The earliest name applicable seems to be rotunihdm 

 applied by Manon de Proce to a specimen from Manila. The species 

 must ))e rare or casual in Japan. No examples were taken. 



{rotundatm^ rounded. ) 



Family III. MONACANTHID^. 



FILE FISHES. 



Body much compressed, covered with very small rough scales, form- 

 ing a rough or velvety covering; males sometimes with spines on the 

 caudal peduncle; these either robust or needle-like. Upper jaw with 

 a double series of incisor-like teeth, 6 in the outer and 4 in the inner 

 series; lower jaw with 6 similar teeth in a single series; first dorsal 

 with a single strong spine and generally a rudimentary one behind it; 

 second dorsal long, similar to anal; ventral fins reduced to a single 

 osseous, fixed or movable, small appendage at the end of the long 

 pelvic bone; this appendage often rudimentary or entirely absent; no 

 ))arbel; vertebrte 7-[-ll to 14 = 18 to 21. Herbivorous shore fishes of 

 the warm seas, closely allied to the Ballstidse^ difi'ering chiefly in hav- 

 ing the first dorsal represented by a single spine, behind which is 

 sometimes a rudiment; scales small, spinigerous, the skin mostly rough 

 velvety. The species are mostly small in size and are not used for 

 food, having little flesh and that of a bitterish taste, containing poison- 

 ous alkaloids producing the disease known as Ciguatera. 



a. Pubic bone with a small spine at its end; gill opening short, nearly vertical; dor- 

 sal and anal moderate, each of less than 40 rays. 

 h. Pelvic spine movable, dorsal spine with two series of retrorse barbs, the posterior 

 pointing downward and backward. 

 c. Abdominal flap developed into a l)road fan supported by branched rays and 



extending far beyond the pelvic spine MonacanUuis, 7. 



cc. Abdominal flap little developed, extending little beyond the pelvic spine, 



and with inconspicuous rays Stephanoleph, 8. 



hh. Pelvic spine fixed; dorsal: spine with strong l)arl)s ))ehind, with usually smaller 

 barbs in front. 

 d. Body oblong and elliptical; depth of body less than half length to base of 

 caudal; dorsal and anal usually with more than .SO rays each. 



Pseudomonacanlhus, 9. 

 dd. Body short and deep; depth of body more than half length to base of 



caudal ; dorsal and anal relatively short Ei(d(irii(s, 10. 



aa. Pelvic bone without spine at its end. 



e. Dorsal and anal short, each of less than 30 rays, l)ody rather plump. 

 /. Body subcircular; dorsal spine rough, without barbs, inserted over the 



eye . . . r Brach<diderr>i, 11. 



//". Body oblong; dorsal spine smooth, envelo[)ed in skin, adnate to the 

 back, and inserted behind eye PamhUereii, 12. 



