FISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND ADJACENT SEAS 251 



Epinephelus bontoides Bleeker, Atlas Ichth. Ind. Neerland., vol.7, 873-716, 



p. 53, pi. (9) 287, fig. 2 (Bali, Celebes, Amboina, New Guinea). — Botjlen- 



ger, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., vol. 1, 1895, p. 218 (Malay Archipelago; 



North Celebes). — Smith and Seale, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 19, 



June 4, 1906, p. 77 (Rio Grande, Mindanao). — Weber, Siboga Exp., vol. 



57, Fische, 1913, p. 203 (Makassar). — Fowler, Copeia, No. 58, June 18, 



1918, p. 63 (Philippines). 

 Plectropoma kulas Thiolliere, Fauna Woodlark, 1S57, p. 145. Woodlark 



Island. 

 Serranus longispinis Kner, Reise Novara, Zool., vol. 1, No. 5, 1865, p. 275, 



pi. 2, fig. 5. Madras. — Playfair, Fishes of Zanzibar, 1866, p. 10 



(Zanzibar). 

 Serranus medurensis Gunther, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, vol. 1, pt. 1, 1873, p. 



8, pi. 9, fig. A. Meduro and Marshall Islands. 

 Epinephelus diacanthus (not Valenciennes) Jordan and Snyder, Annot. 



Zool. Japon., vol. 3, 1901, p. 74 (Nagasaki and Yokohama). 

 Serranus matterni Fowler, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1918, p. 31, 



fig. 13. Philippines; 1927, p. 275 (type). 



Depth 2% to 3}/ 8 ; head 2% to 2%, width V/ s to 2%. Snout 3% 

 to 3J^ in head from snout tip; eye 63^ to Q%, \% to \% in snout, 

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

 maxillary reaches one-third in eye or till opposite hind eye edge , 

 expansion 1% to \y$ in eye, length 23^5 to 234 m head from snout tip ; 

 teeth fine, conic, in bands in jaws; outer maxillary row of teeth 

 slightly enlarged, pair of small wide set front canines, often double 

 and inner row of teeth depressible with inner anterior longest; man- 

 dibular teeth with pair of small front canines, often double, other 

 teeth in three or four series anteriorly and becoming biserial laterally 

 with inner row hinged; bands of small teeth on vomer and palatines, 

 none on tongue; hind nostril little larger than front one though not 

 over twice its size; interorbital 6J^ to 6% in head, little convex; 

 hind preopercle edge minutely serrated, serrae little larger at angle; 

 opercle with three spines, uppermost advanced and lower closer to 

 median. Gill rakers 7 + 16, lanceolate, longer than gill filaments or 

 \% in eye; four upper and four lower rudimentary. 



Scales 103 to 110 in lateral line to caudal base and 12 to 15? more 

 on latter; tubes 50 or 51 in lateral line to caudal base and 3 or 4 

 more on latter; 20 to 24 scales above lateral line, 33 to 36 below, 76 

 to 80 predorsal forward nearly to snout tip, 40 to 50 rows obliquely 

 across cheek to preopercle angle; most head and body scales with 

 small crowded auxiliary basal scales; broad patch of scales on maxil- 

 lary expansion, in 14 to 16 transverse rows. Scales with 6 basal 

 radiating striae; 24 to 37 apical denticles, with 5 to 7 transverse 

 series of basal elements; circuli moderate. 



D. XI, 16, i, third spine 2% to 2% in total head length, third ray 

 2% to 2%; A. Ill, 8, i, third spine 3% to 4^|, sixth ray 2}i to 2\i; 

 caudal 1% to 1%, convexly rounded behind; least depth of caudal 

 peduncle 33^5 to 334; pectoral 1% to 2; ventral \% to 2Ko- 



