FAMILY TETRAODONTIDAE — WOODS AND SCHULTZ 133 



Length of head 2.3 to 2.6; length of middk^ caudal fin ra3^s 3.0 to 

 3.3; both m standard length. Snout 2.0 to 2.5; diameter of eye 3.5 

 to 3.8; least depth of caudal peduncle 2.8 to 4.2; length of pectoral 

 fin 2.4 to 2.9; height of dorsal fin 1.7 to 2.1; height of anal fin 1.8 to 

 2.5; postorbital part of head 2.9 to 3.4; interorbital width 3.2 to 4.3; 

 all in length of head. Angle of snout profile with axis of body 30 to 

 48 degrees, snout usually convex, sometimes only slightly convex or 

 straight. 



Back smoothly rounded; skin of head and body with short close-set, 

 blunt spines, usually covering entire head and body except middle of 

 back just anterior to dorsal fin, area around mouth, and sides of 

 caudal peduncle, spines sometimes very short, embedded or absent 

 over most of body but tips usually evident; interorbital flat, though 

 appearing concave because of slightly protruded eyes; nasal tentacle 

 forked; anal fin originates posterior to insertion of last dorsal ray; 

 distal margins of fins rounded. 



Color in alcohol. — Ground color of back pale greyish brown to 

 black, sides and belly usually lighter, area around mouth and eyes 

 brownish black, anal opening black, intensely black dots of varying 

 sizes scattered over body; gill opening and pectoral fin base usually 

 dark brown to black; a light band usually crosses snout just anterior 

 to eyes in specimens having back and snout dark; nasal tentacle 

 black; tips of dermal spines white; pectoral fin dark at base, rest of 

 fin dusky or pale; dorsal fin usually black on basal third, rays dark, 

 membranes pale, distal third pale; anal fin similarly colored or with 

 base and cUstal part pale, only the middle rays dark, or entire fin 

 pale; caudal fin with outer rays pale, middle rays dark, hind margin 

 pale or entire fin uniform dusky. 



Color in lije. — Ground color of back varying from very dark brown 

 to white, belly paler than back (except in white specimens) ; fin bases, 

 gill openings, areas around mouth, and around eyes dark brown; 

 nasal tentacles black; scattered black spots as large as pupil or smaller 

 on body; dermal spines white; iris yellow; pectoral, dorsal, and anal 

 fin rays bright yellow on distal half or third of fin; middle caudal fin 

 rays same as color of back, middle membranes with a tinge of yellow, 

 outer rays pale, distal margin of fin white. 



AROTHRON ALBORETICULATUS (Tanaka) 



Plate 145,A,B,C 



Tetraodon alhoreliculalus Tanaka, Journ. College Sci. Imp. Univ. Tokyo, vol. 23, 

 p. 42, pi. 1, fig. 5, 1908 (type locality, Misaki, Japan). — Tanaka, Figures 

 and descriptions of the fishes of Japan, vol. 19, p. 321, pi. 87, fig. 284, 1915 

 (Sagami Sea). — Abe, Japanese Journ. Ichthyol., vol. 3, pp. 122-125, pi. 1, 1954 

 (off Fukushima or Ibargi Prefecture, north of Tokyo and Manazuru, Sagami 

 Bay). 



