FISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND ADJACENT SEAS 29 

 Sphaeramia, new subgenus 4 



Type. — Apogon nematoptera Bleeker. 



Diagnosis. Distinguished from subgenus Amia by the rounded or 

 orbicular body, depth more than half the length. Scales large, as in 

 Amia. Body with brown spots. 



AMIA NEMATOPTERA (Bleeker) 



Apogon nematoptera Bleeker, Act. Soc. Sci. Ind. N6erland. (Manado), vol. 



1, 1856, p. 35. Manado, Celebes. 

 Apogon nematopterus Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., vol. 1, 1859, p. 233 



(copied). 

 Amia nematopterus Bleeker, Atlas Ichth. Ind. N6erland., vol. 7, 1875-76, 



p. 79 (Celebes). 

 Amia nematophora Bleeker, Atlas Ichth. Ind. Neerland., vol. 7, 1875-76, 



pi. (35) 313, fig. 1. 

 Amia nematoptera Fowler, Mem. Bishop Mus., vol. 10, 1928, p. 154 (New 

 Guinea). 

 Depth \% to V/i', head 2% to 2%, width 2 to 2-^. Snout 4 to 

 43^ in head from snout tip; eye 2}/$ to 2%, much greater than snout 

 or interorbitaJ ; maxillary reaches % to Y2 in eye, expansion 234 to 

 2Y2 in eye, length 2 to 23^ in head; bands of very minute villiform 

 teeth in jaws, on vomer and palatines; interorbital 3 to 3%, Dearly 

 level; preopercle ridge entire, edge finely denticulate; preorbital entire. 

 Gill rakers 7 + 24, lanceolate, twice gill filaments or 2 in eye. 



Scales 22 or 23 in lateral line to caudal base and 3 or 4 more on latter; 

 2 above, 6 below, 6 or 7 predorsal, 2 rows on cheek. Tubes in lateral 

 line large, simple, well exposed, without basal scale. Scales with 10 

 to 11 basal radiating striae; 77 to 113 apical denticles with 2 to 4 

 transverse series of basal elements; circuli fine. 



D. VI-I, 9, 1, second spine little enlarged though third longest or 

 \y% to 134 in total head length, front dorsal rays elongated and end in 

 filaments apparently in males or first 134 to 2 in combined head and 

 body to caudal base; A. II, 9, 1, second spine 1% to 1% in total head 

 length, first branched ray 1}4 to 134; caudal rather deeply emargin- 

 ate, lobes pointed, 2 to 23^ in combined head and body to caudal 

 base; least depth of caudal peduncle 2 to 2% in total head length; 

 pectoral 134 to 13^; ventral 2)4 to 234 in combined head and body 

 to caudal base. 



Brown generally, general color more or less uniform. Side of head 

 and breast with silvery reflections. Rather broad deep brown margin 

 to hind opercle edge. Broad blackish brown band from spinous 

 dorsal base down to postventral region, border of each scale broadly 

 darker and contrasted with pale brown center to form more or less 

 reticulate pattern. Tail marked with many round brown spots 



«ff0olpa sphere, with reference to the spherical profile; Amia. 



