FISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE SEAS AND ADJACENT WATERS 105 

 SYNAGRIS MESOPRION (Bleeker) 



Dentex mesoprion Bleeker, Nat. Tijds. Nederland. Indie, vol. 4, p. 255, 1853 

 (type locality: Priaman, Sumatra); Atlas Ichth. Ind. N^erland., vol. 8, 

 p. 92, pi. (50) 328, fig. 4, 1876-1877 (Sumatra; Singapore).— Fowler, Journ. 

 Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, ser. 2, vol. 12, p. 527, 1904 (Padang); Proc. 

 Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1929 (1930), p. 645 (Padang specimen). 



Synagris mesoprion Machan, Ann. Naturh. Mus. Wien, vol. 44, p. 435, 1930 

 (Padang). 



Depth SK; head dji, width 2%. Snout 3 in head; eye 4, 1% in snout, 

 greater than interorbital ; maxillary reaches ji in eye, expansion 2 in 

 ej^e, length 2% in head; teeth in villiform bands in jaws, with outer 

 row in each sUghtly enlarged and anterior upper front ones as 7 still 

 larger canines; interorbital 4%, level; hind preopercle edge with very 

 minute inconspicuous serrae, lower edge entire. Gill rakers 6 + 7 

 short, broad, spinescent tubercles % of gill filaments, which 1% in eye. 



Scales 45 in lateral line to caudal base; 4 above, 9 below, 14 pre- 

 dorsal forward opposite eye center; 3 rows of scales on cheek above 

 preopercle ridge, flange broadly naked; caudal nearly entirely covered 

 with minute scales. Scales with 7 or 8 basal radiating striae; 105 to 

 122 short apical denticles, with 2 to 12 transverse series of basal 

 elements; circuli very fine. 



D. X, 9, I, fourth spine 3 in head, first ray 2%, eighth 1%; A. Ill, 

 7, J, third spine 3}^, first ray 2%, last 2%; caudal 1%, deeply emarginate 

 with lobes pointed; least depth of caudal peduncle 3; pectoral IKo,* 

 ventral 1. 



Back warm brown, greater part of sides and below silvery white. 

 Iris yellow. Fins all very pale, lov/er as well as paired ones whitish. 

 Two dark submarginal lines begin on spinous dorsal and extend back 

 all way to last rays. 



East Indies. I have seen but a single example. It has the sub- 

 orbital depth % of the eye and in most respects agrees with Bleeker's 

 figure. 



A.N.S.P. No. 27607. Padang, Sumatra. A. C. Harrison and H. L. Hiller. 

 Length, 165 mm. When fresh in arrack pale olive, somewhat silvery and pale 

 or whitish below. Dull olive band from head along back above lateral line, 

 another along directly below lateral line and crossing posteriorly, still below 

 band of very pale lilac (like band between 2 upper olivaceous bands) to caudal 

 base. Fins pale. Dorsal with 3 narrow distinct pale brown lines, uppermost 

 beginning at fourth spine and extending near fin edge to tip of last ray; below 

 another similar line, beginning at seventh spine; below this third one, beginning 

 on second soft ray; lines on dorsal fin all rather close together on upper portion. 

 Anal pale sulphury yellow, with 2 narrow grayish longitudinal bands. Caudal 

 dull orange. Paired fins dull yellow. 



SYNAGRIS TAMBULOIDES (Bleeker) 



Dentex tambuloides Bleeker, Nat. Tijds. Nederland. Indie, vol. 4, p. 465, 1853 

 (type locality: Batavia, Java); Atlas Ichth. Ind. N^erland., vol. 8, p. 92, 

 pi. (50) 328, fig. 1, 1876-1877 (Java; Celebes). 



