FISHES OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND ADJACENT SEAS 267 

 SERRANUS RHYNCHOLEPIS Bleeker 



Serranus rhyncholepis Bleeker, Nat. Tijds. Nederland. Indie, vol. 3, 1852, 

 p. 749. Celebes— Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., vol. 1, 1859, p. 105 

 (copied). — Fowler, Mem. Bishop Mus., vol. 10, 1928; p. 181 (New 

 Guinea). 



Epinephelus rhyncholepis Bleeker, Atlas Ichth. Ind. Neerland., vol. 7, 

 1873-76, p. 62, pi. (8) 286, fig. 2 (Celebes, Timor).— Boulenger, Cat. 

 Fish. Brit. Mus., vol. 1, 1895, p. 231 (copied). — Snyder, Proc. U. S. Nat. 

 Mus., vol. 42, 1912, p. 498 (Okinawa, Riu Kiu). 



Depth 2% to 3; head 2% to 2^, width 2}/ b to 234 . Snout 4% to 

 4% in head from snout tip; eye 4% to 5, 1 to 1^ m snout, greater 

 than interorbital; maxillary reaches opposite hind eye edge or slightly 

 beyond, expansion 1% to 2 in eye, length 2^g to 2% in head from 

 snout tip; teeth small, pointed, in bands in jaws, pair of canines in 

 front of each; upper lateral teeth larger than others, erect, though 

 inner anterior longest and like all inner teeth hinged; mandibular 

 teeth in 3 or 4 rows anteriorly, narrowing to 2 pairs posteriorly and 

 all inner ones longest and hinged ; bands of small teeth on vomer and 

 palatines, none on tongue; nostrils subequal; interorbital 63/a to 6%, 

 very slightly convex; preopercle edge finely denticulate, several ser- 

 rae little larger at angle; opercular spines 3, lower closer to median, 

 uppermost most advanced . Gill rakers 8 + 14, finely spinescent, lance- 

 olate, little longer than gill filaments or 2}4 in eye; 5 above and 5 

 below rudimentary. 



Scales 83 to 94 in lateral line to caudal base and 12 to 15? more on 

 latter; tubes 53 to 55 in lateral line to caudal base and 3 to 5 more on 

 latter; 15 scales above lateral line, 26 to 35 below, 50 to 52 predorsal 

 forward to snout end; 32 rows obliquely across cheek to opercle angle; 

 with age scales all crowded with basal auxiliary scales; fins covered 

 basally with minute scales; maxillary scaleless. Scales with 3 to 16 

 basal radiating striae; 38 to 48 apical denticles, with 6 or 7 transverse 

 series of basal elements; circuli fine. 



D. XI, 16, i or 17, i, fourth spine 2% to 2% in total head length, 

 first ray 2% to 3^; A. Ill, 7, i, second spine 4J^ to 4%, fourth ray 

 2^2 to 2%; caudal \% to 1%, convex behind; least depth of caudal 

 peduncle 3^ to 33^; pectoral \% to \%; ventral 2)4 to 2%. 



In alcohol brown, each scale on body with minute gray white dot. 

 Also small close set white dots over top of head and and same extend 

 over fin bases. Iris brown. Fins more or less shaded darker brown 

 terminally. 



Known only from the East Indies, though we now report it from 

 the Philippines and Riu Kiu. According to Boulenger reaches 300 

 mm., though our largest examples larger. 



8433. Cebu market. March 24, 1909. Length 310 mm. 



5931, 6001, 6004. Zamboanga market. May 25-27, 1908. Length 270 to 335 

 mm. 



