130 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 2 02 Vol. 3 



side of first arch in 2 rows, mesial row larger 5 to 7, distal row 5 to 8, 

 rakers alternate to those of mesial row. 



Length of head 2.4 to 2.7; length of middle caudal fin rays 3.4 to 

 4.0; both in standard length. Snout 2.1 or 2.2; diameter of eye 4.0 

 to 4.4; least depth of caudal peduncle 2.9 to 3.2; length of pectoral fin 

 2.4 to 2.6; height of dorsal fin 1.8 to 2.2; height of anal fin 1.85 to 2.3; 

 postorbital part of head 2.7 or 2.8; interorbital width 2.6 to 2.9; all in 

 length of head. Angle of snout profile with axis of body 43 to 47 

 degrees, snout convex. 



Back smoothly rounded; small slender lobate spines, length about 

 half pupil diameter, close set over entire head and body except around 

 mouth, eyes, gill openings, and sides of posterior part of caudal 

 peduncle, those of lower sides and belly much longer ; in some specimens 

 these spines are very small and embedded in the wrinkled skin, in 

 others they are absent entirely except for small patches on lower 

 sides; nasal tentacle forked, its surface with many pits but no 

 apparent nostril, distal margins of aU fins convex, rounded. 



Color in a/coAoZ.— Ground color of head and body light reddish 

 brown to almost black; head, body, and bases of all fins with small, 

 close-set oval or round white spots; those of sides and underparts 

 usually larger, sometimes these spots minute on back, often indistinct 

 in this region; white spots numerous around mouth; a ring of larger 

 evenly spaced white spots around eye; dermal spines white, giving 

 the skin a hoary appearance where thick set; intense black pigment 

 spots sometimes present on sides; bases of pectoral, dorsal, and anal 

 fins usually brown, spotted with white, dark color extending onto 

 one-third to two-thirds of fin, distal margin pale or contrasting white; 

 ground color and white spots on caudal ahnost to tip, distal margin pale. 



Color of yellow phase. — Tip of snout dusky, middle part of back 

 from interorbital to upper base of caudal with pale brown ground 

 color and numerous minute white dots; lower sides and belly pale 

 yellowish white, scattered small dark brown or black spots, smaller 

 than pupil on lower sides and belly; area around gill openings dusky 

 brown, anus brown; dorsal and caudal fins dusky basally with faint 

 pale spots, broad margin pale; anal pale with faint dusky submarginal 

 band; pectoral fin dusky basally with broad margin pale. 



AROTHRON HISPIDUS (Linnaeus) 



Plate 142,E 



Tetraodon hispidus Linnaeus, Systema naturae, ed. 10, p. 333, 1758 (type 

 locality, India). 



SPECIMENS STUDIED 



Bikini Atoll: 1 station, 2 specimens, 225 and 280 mm. in standard length. 

 Eniwetok Atoll: 1 station, 1 specimen, 283 mm. 

 Guam: 1 lot, 2 specimens, 198 and 205 mm. 



