NEW PHILIPPINE FISHES FOWLER 91 



D. VIII — 1, 12, 1, third spine 2i/io in total head length, first branched 

 ray l%o; A. 12, i, third ray 3l^; caudal 13/4, convex behind; least 

 depth of caudal peduncle 6i/4 ; pectoral 2, rays 20; ventral I14, 



rays, i, 5. 



Body brown, paler below. Several dark blotches on body, with 

 large one on back below hind part of spinous dorsal. Three dark 

 blotches below soft dorsal. Spinous dorsal with broad dark oblique 

 band sloping back and joining dark saddle on back. Each ray of 

 soft dorsal with 4 or 5 dark spots. Caudal with 4 or 5 irregular 

 transverse rows of dark spots. Anal pale, with one or two dark spots 

 on each ray terminally. Pectoral with T dark cross bars. Ventral 

 with 2 broad dark bands transversely. Several dark spots on lips 

 and others on cheek. 



Type.—VS.'NM. no. 98864. (3957.) D. 5148. Siran Island (N.), 

 S. 80° W., 3.8 miles (lat. 5°35'40" N., long. 120^47'30" E.), Sulu 

 Archipelago. In 17 fathoms. February 16, 1908. Length 142 mm. 



Remarks. — In this species the postocular pit is well developed, the 

 armature of the head strong, the suborbital stay with strong spines, 

 3 preopercular spines with the upper long, the scales large and the 

 coloration variegated. It dift'ers from C y mhacephalus iwmatophfhal- 

 mus in the absence of the supraorbital tentacle. 

 (armatiis, armed.) 



Family BEMBROPSIDAE 



Body long, slender in profile, deepest at front of first dorsal. Tail 

 long, tapering gradually. Head long, broader than deep. Snout 

 long, spatulate. Eye large, conspicuous, mostly before middle in head 

 length. ]Mouth large, broad, lower jaw protruding. Maxillary small, 

 extends below eye. Gill opening very large, extends forward before 

 eye. Armature of head feeble, with inconspicuous small, slender, 

 sharp spines. Scales large, thin, deciduous, smooth or scarcely rough 

 to touch. Head, excepting muzzle, scaly. Lateral line distinct. 

 Two separate dorsal fins, anterior small, with slender, pungent spines. 

 Anal opposite to and similar to second dorsal. Pectoral long, low. 

 Ventral jugular, inserted close behind preopercle. 



One jjenus. I have admitted this familv on its divergence from the 

 other trachinoid families. Its association with the Trachinidae by 

 Alcock in 1899 and later by Jordan, Tanaka, and Snyder in 1913 in 

 the Pteropsaridae is unnatural. 



Genus BEMBROPS Steindachner 



Body elongated, broad forward and tail becoming compressed pos- 

 teriorly. Head large, depressed. Snout broad, concave in profile. 

 Eyes very close together, separated only by narrow bony ridge of 



