FISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE SEAS AND ADJACENT WATERS 99 



slightl}'' elevated, nearly level; preopercle edge entire and both along 

 its flange and preorbitai parallel marginal venules; opercular spine 

 short, flat, blunt. Gill rakers 5 + 8, short flat spinescent tubercles 2K 

 in gill filaments, which Iji in eye. 



Scales 45 to 47 in lateral line to caudal base and 2 or 3 more on latter; 

 4 above, 10 or 11 below, 14 or 15 predorsal forward opposite head cen- 

 ter, 3 rows on cheek to preopercle ridge and flange broadly naked. 

 Suprascapula scale entire, venulose, also row of scales obliquely for- 

 ward as well as marginal occipital scales. Scales with 7 basal radiating 

 striae; 58 to 70 minute feeble apical denticles, with about 16 trans- 

 verse series of basal elements; circuli very fine. 



D. X, 9, I, fourth spine 2% to 2% in head, eighth ray 2 to 2}(o; 

 A. Ill, 7, 1, third spine 3)^ to 3%, first ray 2% to 2%; caudal l}i? to W, 

 well forked, lower lobe shorter; least depth of caudal peduncle 2% to 

 3Ko; pectoral 1%; ventral 1% to 1%. 



Back down to median axial line brown, well contrasted from lower 

 or whitish half of body and all overshot with silvery white. Back 

 also with variable pale areas. Iris yellowish brown. Fins pale brown- 

 ish, lower ones paler. 



Ceylon, India, Andamans, Siam, East Indies, Philippines, Indo- 

 China, China, Queensland, Melanesia. Known by its deep body, 

 canines in front of both jaws and dorsal spines not higher than rays. 

 There seems but little doubt that my specimens are Synagris furcosus 

 Giinther, though Day says that Dentex furcosus Valenciennes "has an 

 elongated body and the caudal lobes very prolonged," hardly definite 

 diagnostic characters. I also place Dentex marginatus Valenciennes 

 and Dentex taeniopterus Valenciennes as synonyms. 



6302. Manila market. June 13, 1908. Length, 238 mm. 



6753. Manila market. April 17, 1909. Length, 278 mm. 



One example. Port Jamelo, Luzon. July 12, 1908. Length, 248 mm? Tail 

 damaged. 



One example. No data. Length, 250 mm. 



U.S.N. M. No. 66099. San Fabian. Bureau of Fisheries (No. 3512). Length, 

 208 mm. 



A.N.S.P. No. 27604. Padang, Sumatra. A. C. Harrison and H. L. Hiller. Length, 

 227 mm. When fresh in arrack faded pale brownish, washed with silvery and 

 tinged red above. Pale yellowish longitudinal band along each series of scales 

 on lower surface of body. Similar bands on upper surface but becoming red- 

 dish. Deep vermilion blotch at beginning of lateral line, with an indistinct 

 greenish blotch around its lower edge. Rosy blotch below eye. Inside gill 

 opening bright orange. Dorsal edge narrowly, together with narrow longitudi- 

 nal band beginning at base of first spine, continuing to tip of last ray and simi- 

 lar band across anal from base of first spine, sulphur-green. Caudal pale 

 orange-red. Paired fins pale orange. 



SYNAGRIS BLEEKERI Day 



Synagris bleekeri Day, Fishes of India, pt. 1, p. 92, pi. 24, fig. 1, 1875 (type lo- 

 cality: Madras). — Boulenger, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1887, p. 657 (Mus- 

 cat). — Day, Fauna Brit. India, Fishes, vol. 1, p. 528, 1889. — Johnstone, Rep. 

 Pearl Fisher. Gulf of Manaar, pt. 2, p. 221, 1904 (off Galle).— Duncker, 



