FISHES OF THE PHHilPPHSTE AND ADJACENT SEAS 23 



Platax hlochii Cuvier, Hist. Nat. Poiss., vol. 7, 1831, p. 222. Mauritius, 



Pondicherj', New Guinea. 

 Platax guttulatus Cuvier, Hist. Nat. Poiss., vol. 7, 1831, p. 227, pi. 186. 



Mauritius (Youug). 

 Platax teira (not Forskal) Fowler and Bean, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 



62, 1922, p. 55 (Zamboanga). — Barnard, Ann. South Afric. Mus., vol. 21, 



pt. 2, Oct. 1927, p. 605, pi. 31, fig. 6 (Natal, Delagoa Bay, Mozambique). 



Depth 1 to 13^^, slightly greater than body in very young; head 3 

 to 3K, width IK to IH- Snout 2>^ to 2>^; eye 2% to 4^, lyg to 1% 

 in snout, l}/g to IJ/g in interorbital; teeth in broad bands in jaws, in 

 about 8 irregular series, outer 3 or 4 series tridentate and others 

 simple and conic; maxillary reaches opposite eye, 3^ to 3% in 

 head; interorbital broadly convex, 2}^ to 2}4. Gill rakers 2 + 7, 

 short, strong, conic. 



Scales 76 to 80 in lateral line to caudal base; tubes 50 to 75 in 

 lateral line to caudal base; 24 or 25 scales above lateral line at top 

 of arch to origin of soft dorsal, 44 to 46 below to anal origin. Scales 

 with 3 or 4 basal radiating striae; apical denticles 22 to 30, with 5 or 

 6 transverse series of basal elements; circuli fine. 



D. V, 32, I or 33, i, fifth spine 1 J/5 to 2 in head, second ray nearly 

 equals combined head and body in young, 3% in same in adult; A. 

 Ill, 25, I to 26, I, third spine 2 to 2 ^ in head, second branched ray 

 1^ in combined head and body in young, 4M in same in adult; cau- 

 dal slightly emarginate, hind edge double concave with age, 2% to 

 33^5; least depth of caudal peduncle 2 to 2Vio in head; pectoral 13/4 

 to 1}4; ventral IH to 3}/^ in combined head and body. 



Brownish generally, little paler on ventral surface of head and 

 belly. In young general color more whitish and with silvered reflec- 

 tions, especially on lower side. Also broad deeper brown band nearly 

 as wide as eye, from occiput to breast, includes eye in its course. 

 Second band usually much paler, from dorsal spines to include pec- 

 toral base and space unmediatelj^ behind ventral base. Sometimes 

 obscure third band includes soft dorsal posteriorly and most of anal. 

 With age almost all vertical bands obsolete or indistinct. Vertical 

 fins largely lilce body color. Pectorals little paler and ventrals dusky 

 to neutral brown, mostly dark in contrast. Iris more or less brownish. 



Red Sea, Zanzibar, Mozambique, Mauritius, Reunion, Madagas- 

 car, Seychelles, India, East Indies, China, Philippines, Queensland, 

 Polynesia. 



8163 and 8154. Alibijaban Island, Ragay Gulf, Luzon. March 6, 1909. Length 

 203 to 256 mm. Dusky silvery without dusky or blackish bars. Fins fading 

 to olive yellow. Vertical edge of dorsal, caudal tip, entire anal edge, ventrals 

 and pectoral bases dark, almost black. 



8797. Butauanan Island. June 12, 1909. Length 170 mm. 



5363. Cebu market. April 5, 1908. Length 115 mm. 



11761. Iloilo market. January 2, 190S. Length 55 mm. 



5303. Iloilo, Panay. March 28, 1908. Length 465 mm. 



