92 BULLETIN 10 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Depth 2% to 2%; head 21/2 to 32/3, width 22/5 to 234. Snout 2% 

 to 31/^ in head from snout tip; eye 3i/^ to 6%, little greater than 

 snout in young to 2l^ with age, little greater than interorbital in 

 young to 11/^ in interorbital with age; maxillary reaches 1/5 to i/^ 

 in eye in young or not quite to eye with age, expansion 1% to 21/2 

 in eye, length 2% to 2% in head from snout tip ; band of villif orm 

 teeth in front below and outer row of enlarged conic teeth, only 

 teeth above and front 4 canines ; villif orm teeth on vomer, palatines 

 and tongue ; interorbital 5 to 51/^, little convex ; hind preopercle edge 

 minutely serrated, shallow emargination below, remaining lower 

 edge with rather strong, well-separated denticles. Gill rakers 9 + 12, 

 1% in eye, of which 7 above and 4 below rudimentary. 



Scales 45 to 48 in lateral line to caudal base and 9 more on latter; 

 G or 7 scales above lateral line, 11 to 13 below, 12 or 13 predorsal to 

 occiput, 6 or 7 rows on cheek; scales above lateral line parallel with 

 its course entirely, below in horizontal series. Scales with 29 to 47 

 basal radiating striae; apical denticles 100 to 105, with 10 to 23 

 transverse series of basal elements ; circuli very fine. 



D. X, 14, 1, fourth spine 2% to 2i^ in total head length, tenth spine 

 Zy2 to 414, seventh ray 2^5 to 2%; A. Ill, 8, i, second spine 2% 

 to 3^3, third ray 2 to 2i/^; caudal I14 to lYz, truncate; least depth 

 of caudal peduncle 3^5 ; pectoral ll^ to IYq ; ventral 1% to 1%. 



Brown, sides and below whitish, with silvery sheen. Each scale 

 with dark spot, forming longitudinal series above and parallel with 

 lateral line; below in horizontal series. Large dark blotch, equal 

 or larger than eye on lateral line opposite soft dorsal origin, often 

 absent. Iris pale yellowish to brownish. Fins all pale brown. 



Natal, Madagascar, India, Andamans, Malay Peninsula, Pinang, 

 Singapore, East Indies, Philippines, Tonkin, China, Queensland, 

 Micronesia, Polynesia. A very well marked species, easily known 

 by the scales above the lateral line in rows parallel with its course, 

 those below in horizontal rows. The coloration with much silvery 

 white and variegated by dark spots on scales. 



Day quotes " Spams malahariciis Shaw " but in turning to the 

 reference one finds " Sparus tranqueharicusr 



Mesoprion flavipmnis Cuvier is noticed: D. X, 14. A. Ill, 9. 

 Back gray, whitish below, everywhere with silvery tinge. Fins 

 yellowish, also iris. Length 610 mm. 



Mesoprion yapilli Cuvier is based on the Yapilli Russell, which is 

 a fair representation of the present species. Cuvier also notes an 

 example obtained by Dussumier: 



Silvery, gilded, dull greenish tint on back and rose or coppery on 

 head and belly. Along back and sides lines formed of dark brown 

 spots, one at middle of each scale. Fins yellowish. Length 756 mm. 



