NEW PHILIPPINE FISHES FOWLER 



103 



LEPIDOTRIGLA VENUSTA, new species 



Figure 48 



Depth 4^3 to 4% measured from snout tip; head 3 to 3i/4, width 

 12/3 to 2. Snout 2% to 2i/o in head from snout tip; eye 31/3 to 3%, 

 11/^ to 1% in snout, 2 to 3 times interorbital width; maxillary reaches 

 below front edge of eye, length 2% to 2% in head from snout tip; 

 mouth width 2% to 3^8 1 narrow bands of minute villiform teeth in 

 jaws, none on palate; interorbital 7 to 9, deeply concave. Gill rakers 

 + 7, lanceolate, li/4 in gill filaments or 4 in eye. 



Pair of short, triangular, broad, flat, rostral spines, more or less 

 flaring out, and edges entire; 2 antero-supraorbital spines each side 

 and 2 postero-supraorbitals each side, close and with rather deep 

 transvei'se groove close behind; ridge of suborbital stay obsolete or 

 not developed and no spine at preopercle angle; strong, pointed 



Figure 48. — Lepidotrigla veuusta, new species. Type. 



suprascapular spine; small, pointed opercular spine, level with lower 

 edge of eye; strong pointed humeral spine with broad, deep base, 

 longer than spine. 



Scales 52 to 54 in lateral line to caudal base and 2 or 3 more on 

 latter; 4 above, 18 below; 4 or 5 predorsal. Chest, breast, belly, and 

 caudal base finely scaled, only small area behind paired fins and pre- 

 pectoral region naked. Along each side of bases of dorsals 23 buck- 

 lers, each bearing a strong spine. Lateral line little high, distinct, 

 each scale usually with trifid tubes. Scales with 5 to 13 basal radi- 

 ating striae; to 6 short apical points; circuli fine, concentric. 



D. IX-15, 1, first spine 1% to 1% in head, third ray 2 to 21/3 ; A. 15, 

 I, third ray 2% to 3 ; caudal 1% to 1^/4, little emarginate behind; least 

 depth of caudal peduncle 1% to 1% in eye; pectoral 2^2 to 2% in 

 length from snout tip to caudal base, reaches 1% to 2 to caudal base. 



