NO. 2149. JAPANESE MACROUROID FISHES— GILBERT AND HUBBS. 171 



Pyloric caeca shorter than the orbit, numbering, in four specimens. 

 19, 20, 22, 23. 



The scales are strong on the ridges of the head, on which the 

 suberect spinules radiate from the center of the scale. The median 

 rostral ridge composed of about 10 wide scales and extending half 

 the distance from the tip of the snout to the occiput, widening 

 posteriorly. The median occipital scute well marked and preceded 

 on each side by a similar scale; these scales similar to those along 

 the ridges of the head. The scales on top of the head are larger than 

 the scales of the body, and bear 3 to 5 strongly divergent ridges; 

 these scales are in definite rows, one median, extending from the oc- 

 ciput to the rostral ridge, a row extending just within the occipital 

 ridges and just without the rostral ridge, and a row of small scales 

 extending forward from the anterior end of the occipital ridge to the 

 anterior end of the nasal fossa. The upper margins of the nasal 

 fossa and the orbit are armed wdth linear scales forming a continuous 

 ridge. The occipital ridges are similar to the median rostral ridge, 

 but stronger; they extend backward from above the middle of the 

 pupil and curve outward; another ridge extends from the upper 

 orbital margin to the end of the gill opening; between this ridge and 

 the occipital ridge the scales are arranged in three longitudinal rows, 

 with other smaller scales. The scales on the opercle and preopercle 

 are similar to those on the body, but their crests are somewhat more 

 divergent ; those on the cheeks are smaller. The suborbital ridge is 

 strong, strongest posteriorly, covered by two rows of scales below 

 the posterior half of the orbit. Under side of head completely naked. 

 The scales of the body bear a variable number of parallel spinous 

 ridges, the largest number, about 20, occurring on scales above the 

 lateral line, near the second dark spot. The spinules on the sides 

 of the trunk, and on the posterior half of the tail are parallel with 

 the axis of the body, but those between these regions are directed ob- 

 liquely downward. The scales before the dorsal are small and bear 

 a few divergent ridges. 



Color in alcohol light brownish, underlaid with silvery on the lower 

 sides of trunk, and with blackish on the belly. A large, dark brown, 

 round spot, nearly two-thirds the diameter of the large eye, located 

 above and behind the pectoral, below the lateral line, covering about 

 six scale-rows ; another dark brown spot, about five scale-rows wide, 

 extending from dorsal base to a little below the lateral line, its ante- 

 rior edge constantly twice the length of the head from the tip of 

 snout ; indistinct traces of other dark areas are present, but the two 

 spots are constant in size and position, and are highly diagnostic of 

 the species. Iris with dark brown chromatophores along its margin, 

 its upper half blue, its lower half silvery ; opercle and preopercle dark 



