PHILIPPINE MACROUROID FISHES GILBERT AND HUBBS. 463 



A darkly pigmented and narrow ventral fossa extends forward, 

 with increasing width, to a line joining the posterior ends of the 

 ventral bases; the length of the fossa, measured from the center of 

 the anus, is equal to the distance between the anus and the anal origin. 



There are 5| scales in a series from the origin of the second dor- 

 sal to, but excluding, the lateral line scale. The spinous carinae on 

 the scales of the body, 7 to 9 in number, are of moderate strength, 

 being much smoother than in maculatus, a little smoother than in 

 velifer, and slightly rougher than in sexradiatus. These carinae 

 are armed with as many as 11 slender spinules, which are directed 

 backward, and are imbricate on one another; the last spinule pro- 

 jects beyond the margin of the scale; the spinules increase but little 

 in size posteriorly on each carina. The scales are more completely 

 imbricate than in C. maculatus or velifer. The length of the dorso- 

 terminal plate is contained 5.2 times in the postorbital; it is armed 

 by 5 double series of spinules; the ventroterminal plate bears 5 sin- 

 gle series. Following the terminal plate, on the ethmoid portion 

 of the infraorbital ridge, are 7 scales, which become larger poste- 

 riorly, and are armed with radiating rows of spinules ; the first scale 

 in this series, bounding the terminal plate, is somewhat modified 

 and enlarged. No interspace separates the ethmoid from the pre- 

 orbital series, which is composed of 9 or 10 subquadrate scales armed 

 with spinules radiating upward on the first scales from near the 

 middle of their lower margins, but on the last scales from near 

 their anteroventral angles. The scales on the two following regions 

 of the ridge — namely, the -suborbital and the preopercular — are ar- 

 ranged in two series, and bear carinae diverging strongly upward 

 and backward. The median superior rostral ridge is covered by 10 

 oblong scales, which are armed with numerous tubercular spinules 

 aligned in 12 or fewer series radiating from near the anterior margin 

 of each, the point of radiation being nearest the margin on the 

 anterior scales. The supranarial ridge is covered by rough scales 

 increasing in size posteriorly, and armed with spinous carinae diverg- 

 ing strongly from the anteroventral angle of the scale; four scales 

 cover the ridge which separates the upper half of the nasal fossa 

 from the orbit. 



The seven strong scales along the supraorbital ridge are flat an- 

 teriorly, but convex and narrower posteriorly ; they are armed with 

 series of spinules diverging widely backward. The supraorbital 

 ridge scales 'are bounded within by a narrow naked groove, which 

 is not developed in G. velifer. After an interspace as long as a scale, 

 the supraorbital series is followed by the postorbital series of scales, 

 which are narrow, and bear either a single spinous keel, or three 

 divergent carinae. The occipital ridges, from their origin opposite 

 119404—20 7 



