234 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. voi,. xxx,. 



arranged as an obscure ring. Two small specimens have the white 

 spots fewer, larger, and not so sharp cut. The bars of the body extend 

 to the edges of the dorsal and anal fins, running longitudinally with 

 the rays. Posteriorly the dorsal, anal, and caudal are narrowly edged 

 with white. Vertical fins of the blind side uniform black, edged with 

 white, growing light toward base of rays. Pectoral black. 



Many specimens from 12 to 24 cm. in length collected at Nagasaki, 

 Tokyo, Kobe, and Hakata. The species is common in southern Japan, 

 where it reaches a considerable size. It is valued as a food fish. 



{sehrim(.s, zebra-like. ) 



50. ZEBRIAS JAPONICUS (Bleeker). 



^sopia japonica Bi.EKKER, Japan, VI, 1869, p. 71 (Nagasaki; (young). 

 Sj/naptura japonica Gunther, Cat. Fish, IV, 1862, p. 485 (copied.) 

 Brachiru>i japonicus Bleeker, Enum. Poiss., Conn. Jap., 1879, p. 22 (Nagasaki). 

 Synaptura smithi Regan, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 1903, p. 57, pi. vi (Inland Sea 

 of Japan ) . 



Habitat. — Shores of southern Japan, north to Tok3^o. 



Head, 5^ to .5f in length to base of caudal; depth, 2^ to 2f, Upper 

 eye, 5 to 5^ in head. Dorsal, 73 to 79; anal, 59 to 64. Scales from 

 opposite gill opening to caudal, 80 to 98; 15 or 16 from upper eye to 

 gill opening. 



This species differs from Z. sehrinus in having the eyes larger. In 

 some specimens the upper e} e is scarcely in advance of lower, in others 

 the anterior third of upper eye overhangs the front margin of the lower, 

 and in others the upper e3^e varies between these extremes. Upper 

 2 pectoral rays abruptl}" produced beyond the short lower ones; not 

 so long as in Z. zehrinus, 2 to 2^ in head. Last rays of dorsal and 

 anal attached to base of caudal, leaving the latter distinct and the out- 

 line of fins not continuous around caudal, as in Z. sehrinus. The 

 ])apilL'e on the blind side of head are much more numerous. 



The cross bars on body not so dark or not so uniform in color as in 

 Z. sehrinus; the middle of each bar alwaj's much lighter than the 

 edges, often so light as to subdivide some of the bars. A light inter- 

 space is across the gill opening, and instead of the posterior edge of a 

 dark bar being just behind the pectoral as in Z. seh'inus, the anterior 

 edge of a bar is in this place. Behind the pectoral are 8 or 9 pairs of 

 dark bars, the last bar crossing the base of the caudal, about half of it 

 being on the caudal rays; behind this is a gray or white bar, and the 

 posterior third of the fin is abruptly black. Pectoral light or dusky. 

 The species otherwise as Z. zehrinus. The attachment of the dorsal 

 and anal to the caudal is not variable in our specimens as described by 

 Regan. 



Specimens from Tokyo and Wakanoura, from 100 to 165 mm. in 

 length. Southern Japan, rather rare. 



(japoniciis, Japanese.) 



