REVIEW OF OPHIDIOID FISH GENUS OLIGOPUS — COHEN H 



level of posterior part of eye; 2 above posterior expanded portion 

 of maxillary. Preoperculomandibular canal with 8 pores: 2 at tip 

 of dentary, 1 opening anteriorly, the other posteriorly; 1 beneath 

 lower lip near level of posterior nostril; 1 close to midlength of jaw; 

 1 ahead of posterior margin of maxillary; 1 behind same; 2 at pos- 

 teroventral angle of preopercle. 



Small, dark papillae scattered on head, concentrated in inter- 

 orbital area. Lateral line marked by papillae similar to those on 

 head. One series of 21 originating above opercle and, after slight 

 irregular dip near origin, extending posteriorly in straight line be- 

 tween midline and dorsal profile, terminating at level of vent. Second 

 line of about 25 filaments originating in midline at level of origin of 

 anal fin and extending posteriorly in midline of body to point about 

 10 mm. from tail (the tail has become somewhat abraded and in all 

 likelihood the lateral line actually continues to the base of the tail 

 as shown by Kadcliffe, 1913, and Kamohara, 1954.) 



Dentition: Premaxillaries, dentaries, and broadly V-shaped vomer 

 bearing bands of uniformly smaU, granular teeth. 



Sex: Specimen male with prominent, paired testes about 20 mm. 

 long. 



Head spines: Small, sharp-pointed spine piercing skin at upper 

 angle of opercle. Post ero ventral angles of preopercle with 2 very 

 blunt points. Maxillary spine prominent on right side of specimen, 

 weakly developed on left side. 



Vertebrae and ribs: Neural spines 5-15 short and broad, but be- 

 coming progressively more elongate and narrower; their tips truncate; 

 neural spines on subsequent centra more needle-like. Centra 7-11 

 with ribs at ends of parapophyses, subsequent centra lacking pleural 

 ribs. Centra 4-7 with epipleurals attached to pleural ribs; on centra 

 8-15 epipleurals appearing to be associated with parapophyses. 



Color (in alcohol, quoted from original description): "Wood-brown; 

 dorsal and anal dusky anteriorly, becoming dark clove brown pos- 

 teriorly; the basal portion of caudal clove brown, distal portion some- 

 what lighter; pectorals dusky; peritoneum silvery gray." 



Distribution. — Known from Mimase, Japan; the Philippines 

 between Cebu and Leyte, at a depth of 189 fathoms on a green mud 

 bottom; and the Gulf of Aden between 25 and 30 fathoms. 



Oligopus waikiki, new name 



Plate 4 



Microbrotula nigra Gosline, 1953, p. 220, fig. Id (original description, off Waikiki 

 Reef, Oahu, Hawaii).^ 



3 If Microbrotula nigra Gosline is referred to Oligopus, the specific name must 

 be rejected as a junior secondary homonym of Oligopus niger Risso, which is a 

 junior synonym of Oligopus ater Risso. 



