3. TETUODON. 2[)3 



37. Tetrodon nigropunctatus. 



Tetrodon nigropunctatus, Ji/. Sclui. \). TjO?, 



Tetraodon trichodfrnia, Blcck. Nut. Tyds. Nvd. Lid. v. p. 632. 



trichodermatoidea, lileck. I. c. vi. p. o3(). 



Arotliron melanorli3-iiclms, lileck. I. c. ix. p. 111. 

 Crayraciou nigropunctatus, Bkek. Atl. Ichth. Gyiimod. p. 74, pi. '2. 

 fig. 4. 



This species varies in a remarkable manner in the extent of the 

 spines over the body : sometimes they project much out of the skin, 

 and cover nearly the entire body like bristles ; sometimes they are 

 much less numerous, and nearly entirely hidden in the skin, the 

 greater part of which appears to be smooth. Snout rather short and 

 obtuse, two-fifths of the length of the head. The interorbital space 

 appears flat and broad externally; but the width of the osseous por- 

 tion is much less than the length of the snout, and about twice the 

 diameter of the eye. Length of the caudal fin equal to its distance 

 from the dorsal. Unif(.)rm dark brown above and whitish below ; a 

 few scattered round black spots on the side ; vent black. Fins and 

 base of the fins not spotted. Caudal fin sometimes with a white, 

 never with a black, margin. Mouth black. 



Indian Ocean and archipelago ; Feejee Islands. 



a-h. Adult : stuffed. Zanzibar. From Lieut.-Col. Playfair's Col- 

 lection. 



c-iJ. Adult and half-grown. Amboyna. Purchased of Hr. Frank. 



e,f. Adult. East-Indian archipelago. From the Collection of Dr. 

 van Lidth de Jeude. 



ij. Adult (!) inches). Flores. From Dr. Blocker's Collection. — 

 Type of T. tricliodennatoides. 



h. Adult. Sumatra. From Dr. Bleeker's Collection. — Typo of T. 

 trlchodcrma. 



i. Adult. Halmaheira. From Dr. Bleeker's Collection. — Type of 

 T. melanoi'hyiichus. 



Var. citrineUa. The entire body of a beautiful lemon-colour. 

 Beside the scattered spots on the side, there are some irregular 

 small and lai'ge black spots on the back ; one largo blotch round the 

 base of the dorsal fin, which also is black. A large round black 

 spot round the eye and gill-opening. 



I: Adult : stuffed. Feejee Islands. Voyage of H.M.S. * Herald.' 



Tetraodon diadematus, Riipp. Atl. Fisch. p. 65, pi. 17. fig. 3, 

 from the Bed Sea, aj)proaches closely the variety just mentioned. 

 The entii-e fish is nearly uniform greenish ; but the mouth is black, 

 and a broad black band runs from one eye to the other and on to 

 the gill-opening. 



38. Tetrodon mappa. 



Tutraodou uiappa, Lean. Voy. Cvq. I'uiss. p. 102, pi. 5. 



roticulatus, lileek. Vcrh. But. Gen. xxii. Maduru, j). 10, and 



xxiv. Blootk. p. 18 (young). 



