NO. 2294. 



FISHES FROM WEST AFRICA— FOWLER. 



197 



front edge over preorbital. Interorbital broadly concave, supra- 

 orbitals with fine striae slightly converging toward occiput, and few 

 low median keels. Postocular space to preopercle edge about seven- 

 eighths of e3'e. 



Gill-opening forward about opposite eye center. Rakers iv + 15, 

 IX, lanceolate, short or about one-third of filaments and latter 

 slightly over half of eye. Isthmus narrow keel. 



Scales narrowly imbricated and crowded along sides and lower 

 surfaces, down back medially much larger and broadly exposed. 

 Broadl}^ exposed scales over most of upper surface of head, and 

 extending forward on snout for space equal to 1§ eye-diameters. 

 Fins scaleless, except area converging out over caudal of lateral 

 keels, extension about three-fourths of median rays from bases. 

 Lateral line complete to caudal base, not to latter, and along caudal 



Fig. 1.— Belone trachura Valenciennes. 



Each 



peduncle behind extends along lower surface of flange or keel, 

 tube with several short branches below. 



Dorsal inserted slightly behind anal origin, nearly at last third 

 between depressed pectoral tip and caudal base, first branched ray 

 1| in postocular region, lobe of fin not quite half of fin length. Anal 

 with large lobe in front, first branched ray about long as postocular 

 region. Caudal (damaged) moderately forked, and lower lobe appar- 

 ently slightly longer. Ventral inserted about midway between hind 

 preopercle edge and caudal base, fin IJ in postocular region. Pec- 

 toral slightly longer than postocular. Vent nearly three-fifths of 

 eye-diameter before anal. 



Color in alcohol deep brown on back and upper surface of head. 

 Along upper side of postocular region, dusky line to end of gill- 

 opening separating silvery-white color of sides and lower surface, 

 but not on trunk. All along edge of dark upper tint, which bounded 



