FISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE SEAS AND ADJACENT WATERS 367 



D. IX, I, 27, I to 29, I, tliird spine 2% to 2% in head, first ray 2)^ 

 to 3; A. II, 8, I, second spine SK to 3%? first ray 2 to 2}^; caudal 1 to 

 iKo, cuneate, ends in median long slender point; least depth of caudal 

 peduncle S% to S%; pectoral 1% to 1%; ventral 1% to 1%. 



Brown generally, but slightly paler below. Iris grayish. Each 

 scale on body with slightly paler spot. Spinous dorsal largely dusky 

 to blackish, base pale or whitish. Soft dorsal dark, dusky. Caudal 

 dark brown, especially posteriorly. Anal and paired fins pale. 



Bombay, China. 



U.S.N.M. No. 86104. Nanking. C. Ping. Length, 230 mm. 



U.S.N.M. No. 97063. Shanghai. A. de C. Sowerby. June, 1927. Length, 117 



to 255 mm. Three examples. All have A. II, 7, i. 

 Two examples, A.N.S.P. Bombay, India. Prof. F. Hallberg. Length, 175 to 



275 mm. 



Genus ATRACTOSCION Gill 



Atractoscion Gill, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1862, p. 18. (Type, 



Otolithus aequidens Cuvier, monotypic.) 

 Zeluco Whitley, Australian Zool., vol. 6, pt. 4, p. 317, 1931. (Type, Otolithiis 



atelodus GtJNTHER, orthotypic.) 



Body elongate, elliptical, compressed. Head conic. Snout conic, 

 with pores. Eye small, advanced. MaxiUary not slipping below 

 preorbital. Mouth terminal, wide, oblique, lower jaw protruding. 

 Chin without pores. No barbels. Bands of vilUform teeth in jaws, 

 with enlarged series in both though no canines. Opercle with 2 

 weak spines. Preopercle feebly denticulate in young, entire with 

 age. Gill rakers few, very short and robust, especially with age. 

 Pseudobranchiae present. Pyloiic coeca 5. Scales small, adherent. 

 Head nearly entirely scaly. Dorsals 2, deeply notched, spines 11, 

 rays 27 to 31. Anal with 2 feeble spines, rays 8 or 9, hind end at 

 base of last ray nearly opposite last dorsal ray. Caudal lunate. 

 Pectoral pointed. 



Shore fishes of South Africa and southeast Austraha, reaching a 

 large size and valued as food. 



ATRACTOSCION AEQUIDENS (Cuvier) 



Otolithus aequidens Cuvier, Hist. Nat. Poiss., vol. 6, p. 66, 1830 (type locality: 

 Cape of Good Hope). — Andrew Smith, 111. Zool. South Africa, Fishes, 

 pi. 13, 1849 (South Africa; Table Bay). — Pappe, Synops. edible fish. Cape, 

 p. 16, 1853 (Cape).— GtJNTHER, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., vol. 2, p. 306, 1860 

 (no locality). — Bleeker, Nat. Tijds. Nederland. Indie, vol. 21, p. (50, 

 52) 64, 1860 (Cape). — Castelnau, Mem. Poiss. Afrique Australe, p. 10, 

 1861 (Simons Bay). — Regan, Ann. Natal. Gov. Mus., vol. 1, pt. 3, p. 245, 

 1908 (Bird Island). — Lampe, Deutsche Siidpolar. Exped., vol. 15, pt. 2, 

 p. 233, 1914 (Simonstown). — Gilchrist and Thompson, Ann. Durban Mus., 

 vol. 1, pt. 4, p. 350, 1917 (references). — Thompson, Marine Biol. Rep. 

 South Africa, vol. 4, p. 77, 1918.- — von Bonde, Fisher. Mar. Surv. South 

 Africa, Spec. Rep., vol. 1, p. 16, 1923 (South Africa). 



