192 BULLETIN 10 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



NIPHON SPINOSUS Cuvier 



Niphon spinosus Cuvier, Hist. Nat. Poiss., vol. 2, 1828, p. 131, pi. 19. 

 Japan. — Schlegel, Fauna Japon. Poiss., pt. 1, 1X42, p. 1, pi. 1, figs. 1-2 

 (coasts of southern provinces, Jeso). — Richardson, Ichth. China, Japan, 

 1846, p. 222 (Japan). — Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., vol. 1, 1859, p. 80 

 (Japan); Rep. Voy. Challenger, Zool., vol. 1, 1880, p. 63 (Yokohama).— 

 Steindachner and Doderlein, Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien, vol. 47, 

 pt, 1, 1SS3, p. 228 (Tokyo).— Boulenger, Cat, Fish. Brit. Mus., vol. 1, 

 1895, p. 124 (Yokohama). — Ishikawa and Matsuura, Prelim. Cat. Fishes 

 Mus. Tokyo, 1897, p. 57 (Tokyo, Hizen, Boshu). — Jordan and Snyder, 

 Proc U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 23, 1901, p. 353 (Tokyo), p. 750 (Yokohama); 

 Annot. Zool. Japon., vol. 3, 1901, p. 72 (Yokohama and Nagasaki). — 

 Smith and Pope, Proc. U. S. Nat, Mus., vol. 31, 1906, p. 468 (Kochi).— 

 Jordan and Richardson, Bull. Bur. Fisher., vol. 27, 1907 (1908), p. 255 

 (Cuyo); Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 37, 1910, p. 431 (Misaki and Philip- 

 pines). — Jordan and Thompson, Mem. Carnegie Mus., vol. 6, No. 6, 1914, 

 p. 248 (Osaka and Misaki). — Izuka and Matsuura, Cat, Zool. Spec. 

 Tokyo Mus., 1920, p. 154 (Boshiu). — Jordan and Hubbs, Mem. Carnegie 

 Mus., vol. 10, No. 2, 1925, p. 234 (Tokyo, Toyana, Misaki, Miyazu, Fukiu). 



Depth sy 5 to 3%; head V/ z to 2%, width 2}/ 5 . Snout 2% to 3J/£ 

 in head from snout tip; eye 4 to 5%, 1*4 to 2}4 in snout, much 

 greater than interorbital in young to l}i with age; maxillary reaches 

 slightly beyond front eye edge or opposite front pupil edge, expansion 

 1% to 2 in eye, length 2% to 2% in head from snout tip; teeth 

 villiform, in bands in jaws, on vomer and palatines, none on tongue; 

 interorbital 5 to 5^3, nearly level; strong spine at angle of preopercle 

 nearly long as eye with age and edge above serrate, also several large 

 denticles on lower edge; lower preorbital edge finely serrate; opercu- 

 lar spines equidistant, lower most advanced. Gill rakers 7 + 17, 

 lanceolate, longer than gill filaments or l 1 ^ in eye; 4 or 5 above and 

 below rudimentary. 



Scales 130 in lateral line to caudal base and 10 more on latter; 

 pores 85 in lateral line to caudal base and 6 more on latter; 25 scales 

 above lateral line, 46 to 48 below, 33 predorsal to occiput, 15 across 

 cheek to preopercle ridge; muzzle and maxillary naked. Small scales 

 over soft dorsal and caudal basally. Tubes in lateral line moderately 

 small, well exposed. Scales with 4 or 5 basal radiating striae; apical 

 denticles 18 to 20, with 4 or 5 transverse series of basal elements; 

 circuli fine. 



D. XII, I, 10, i, membranes of spinous fin deeply notched, fourth 

 spine 2 x /i to 2^ in total head length, second ray 2}4 to 2%; A. Ill, 

 7, i, second spine 4 to 4 L 5, second ray 23^ to 2%; caudal \% to 2, 

 hind edge emarginate; least depth of caudal peduncle 4 to 43^; 

 pectoral 2 to 2%; ventral 2 to 2^. 



Brown above, whitish below, color of back and lower surface 

 contrasted by pronounced line of demarcation. In young distinct 

 light longitudinal band extends from upper hind eye edge to below 

 soft dorsal, obsolete with age. Fins all brown in adult. In young 



