?ISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE AND ADJACENT SEAS O 



Premnas leticodesmus (Kuhl and Van Hasselt) Cxjviek, Hist. Nat. 



Poiss., vol. 5, 1830, p. 409. Java. 

 Premnas semidnctus Cuvier, Hist. Nat. Poiss., vol. 5, 1830, p. 409, pi. 133. 



No locality. 

 Premnas unicolor Cuvier, Hist. Nat. Poiss., vol. 5, 1830, p. 410 (on Scorpaena 



aculeata Lackpede). 

 Sarr/us ensifer Gray, Cat. Fish. Gronow, vol. 2, 1854, p. 66. Indian Sea. 

 Premnas epigrammata Fowler, Jouru. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., ser. 2, vol. 12, 



1904, p. 532, pi. 19, lower figure to right. Padaug, Sumatra. 



Depth 1% to 2 ; head 3 to 31/2, width 1% to 1%. Snout 3 to 4 ; eye 

 41/^ to 5, 1% to 1% in snout, ly^ to 1% in interorbital ; maxillary 

 reaches nearly to front pupil edge, 3 in head; teeth strong, conic, 

 close set, uniserial, short; interorbital 3% to 314, broad, slightly 

 convex; second preopercular spine along lower edge 1% to 2% in 

 head ; preopercle ' edge more serrate with age. Gill rakers 7 + 13. 

 lanceolate, slender, rather short. 



Tubes in lateral line 44 or 45, pores in straight section 11 to 13 + 

 to 5; 5 or 6 scales above lateral line to soft dorsal origin, 27 to 29 

 below, 17 to 22 predorsal; 6 rows of cheek scales. Scales with 4 to 

 6 basal radiating striae; apical denticles 57 and 9 transverse series 

 of basal elements; denticles absent in small examples. 



D. X, 17, I or 18, I, third spine 2 to 2% in head, twelfth ray ll^ 

 to 1%, first ray often simple; A. II, 14, i, second spine 2I/3 to 2%, 

 tenth ray 1% to 1%; caudal 1 to li/g, convex behind; least depth of 

 caudal peduncle 1% to 1%; pectoral 1 to li/g ; ventral li/g. 



Deep brown generally, variously darker with shades of chestnut, 

 sepia, and umber, usually with under surface of head, breast and 

 belly paler. Whitisli band, broad at first, includes occiput and 

 extends down across front of opercle at least behind preopercle to 

 gill-opening below, but not on breast. Second whitish band from 

 last dorsal spines, narrowed below to vent. Third whitish band 

 on caudal peduncle narrowed below and various!}' incomplete below. 

 Iris brownish. Fins all uniform like body, often dusky to blackish 

 terminally. 



Mauritius to India, East Indies, Philippines. 



20475. Catbalogan, Samar. April 16, 1908. Length, 114 mm. 



1 example, Gomomo Island. December 3, 1909. Length, 110 mm. 



5517 B. F. Malabon market. August 8, 1908. Length, 148 mm. 



21342. Pendek Island. December 15, 1909. Length, 95 mm. 



11712. Santa Cruz, Marinduque Island. April 24, 1908. Length, 110 mm. 



1 example, Simaluc, Bisibisi. September 23, 1909. Length, 100 mm. 



1 example, Talisse Island. November 9, 1909. Length, 63 mm. [2034.] Crim- 

 son, bars olive, margined with black. 



1 example, Tapiantana Island. September 13, 1909. Length, 115 mm. 



1 example, Limbe Strait, Celebes. November 10, 1909. Length, 95 mm. 



1 example, Una Una Road, Binang Unang, Gulf of Tomini, Celebes. November 

 18, 1909. Length, 130 mm. [2050.] 



