2B4 REVIEW OF TETRAODONTID^. 



ANALYSIS OF SPECIES OF SPHv3EROIDES. 



a. Caudal fiu luuate or truncate, with the augles notably produced. 



b. [Body everywhere perfectly sujooth; iuterorbital space broad, about equal to 

 length of suout and twice diameter of eye ; caudal truncate, its 

 angles produced. Dorsal rays 10. Light brown, with darker 



spots on the back] Paciiygaster, 2. 



hb. Hody more or less prickly, both above and below; the spines above slendei ; 

 profile steep; a dark spot or band at base of pectoral, 

 c. [Color brownish above, faintly vermiculated with paler, sides yellowish ; spines 

 on the head long, close-set, like seals' bristles; dorsal region 

 from a little behind uares to above ends of pectoral tins spinous; 

 belly spinous; interorbital width IJ in eye (in specimen 4 inches 

 long) ; caudal lin truncate, or slightly concave, with prominent 



augles, D. 8, A. 7; eye 3^ in head] Trichocepiialus, :{. 



oc. Color brownish above, with small irregular bluish-gray spots; sometimes 

 three faint blackish cross-bands, the foremost on the forehead, 

 the others on the back before the dorsal; numerous tine sharp 

 spines on the upper side of the body, from the nostrils to the 

 base of the dorsal, and below from the thi'oat to the vent ; a 

 slight fold along each side of the tail; caudal fiu weakly con- 

 cave; eye 4 in head, about equal to the interorbital width. 

 D. 8, A. 7 FtJRTHi, 4. 



aa. Caudal fin rounded or subtruncate, the middle rays longest (rai'ely the uppermost 

 very slightly produced). 

 d. Nape with a pair of lleshy Haps; interorbital area very narrow, deeply con- 

 cave, channel-like, not broader than the eye; sides with small 

 fleshy cirri ; belly and anterior part of back with slender, two- 

 rooted prickles; body comparatively elongate, the snout pro- 

 duced, a little longer than the rest of the head ; caudal rounded ; 

 dorsal rays 7; color smoky gray, sides yellowish-brown, cov- 

 ered with innumerable small spots of a sky-blue color, each 

 with a sharply defined black edge ; a row of obscure large 

 blackish cross-blotches along lower part of sides from suout 

 to caudal peduncle (as in S. spengleri); a black streak on base 



of pectoral Angusticeps, 5. 



dd. Nape without dermal flaps ; iuterorbital space broader, flattish or somewhat 

 concave ; suout about as long as rest of head. 

 e. Interorbital space rather narrow, somew'hat concave, its width less than 

 half the length of the snout; sides Avith a series of about 12 

 black blotches or bars bounding the pale color of the abdomen ; 

 Ijack without curved cross-streaks or circles; upper ray of 

 caudal slightly produced. 

 /. Sides of head and body always smooth, except sometimes a strip behind 

 pectorals ; spines larger, higher, more distinctly stellate and 

 much less closely set than in C. turgidtis, sometimes coniined 

 to the belly or the nuchal region, and often, especially in old 

 specimens, wanting altogether, so that the skin is perfectly 

 smooth; sides often with small whitish fleshy flaps or cirri, 

 especially in the young. Color greenish or grayish, with fine 

 bluish spots and vermiculatious. Black blotches on lower 

 part of sides nearly round ; caudal fin with a broad dusky bar 

 at base and tip, the middle pale Spengleri, G. 



