FISHES OF THE PHILH'PINE AND ADJACENT SEAS 



37 



Scatophagus brunneus Kent, Great Barrier Reef, 1893, p. 369. Queensland 



(Nomen nudum). 

 Scatophagus ckameleon Kent, Great Barrier Reef, 1893, p. 369. Queensland 



(Nomen nudum). 



Depth 1% to 1^; head 2I/3 to 3H, width 1^ to 1%. Snout 2^ 

 to Sy^ in head; eye 3}/^ to 4^3, greater than snout in young to 1^^ 

 in snout with age; maxillary 3^ to ^ in snout, 4 to 4% in head; 

 interorbital 2}4 to 2%, broadly convex. Gill rakers 5 + 13, lanceo- 

 late, short, }4 of gill filaments, which equal eye. 



Tubes 85 to 104 in lateral line to caudal base, about 60 in young; 

 22 to 30 scales above lateral line, 46 to 60 below. Scales with a 



Fig. 1.— Variation of color markings of Scatophagus argus (Linnaeus) 



single basal radiating stria; apical denticles 20 to 55, and 6 or 7 

 series transversely; circuli fine. 



D. X or XI, 16, I to 18, i, fourth spine 1% to 1% in head, third 

 ray 134 to 13^; A. IV, 13, i to 15, i, second spine 2J/s to 33^, third 

 ray Iro to 1%; least depth of caudal peduncle IJ/g to 2%; caudal 

 truncate to slightly double concave behind, 13^8 to 1%; pectoral 13^ 

 to 2; ventral 13^ in head in young to 3 in combined head and body 

 in adult. 



Back brown, with various gray to dark lavender tints. Under 

 surface of head and body white with silvery tinge. Iris brownish. 

 Vertical fins like back, or dark lavender brown to light brown, and 

 usually more or less spotted or membranes with darker. Back, sides 

 and often vertical fins very variably spotted, dotted or blotched with 

 91469—29 4 



