ICHTHYOLOaY 



I. — Fishes of Upper and Lower California. 

 DIODONTID^. 



DIODON MACULATUS, Lacep. [No. 17540]. 



Diodon tacheie, Lac£p., Poles., ii, 1801, p. 13. 



Diodon novemmaculatus, Cuv., M6m. Mus. Hist. Nat., iv, 1818, 136, pi. 6. — Bleek., Nat. 



Tyds. Ned. Ind., iii, 185'2, 567. 

 Diodon sexmaculatus, Cuv., op. cit., iv, 1818, 136, pi. 7. — Kaup, Arch. Naturgesch., xxi, 



i, 1855, 229. 

 Diodon multimaculatus, Cuv., op. cit., iv, 1818, 136, pi. . — Kaup, op. cit., xxi, i, 1855, 227. 

 Diodon quadrimaculaius, Cuv., op. cit., iv, 1818, 137, pi. 6. — Bleek., Act. Soc. So. ludo- 



Neerl., ii, Amboina, viii, 94. 

 Diodon sjnnosissimus, Kaup, Arch. Naturgesch., xxi, i, 1855, 228 (not Cuvier). 

 Paradiodon novemmaculatus, Bleek., Atl. Ichth., v, 1865, .57, pi. 206 ; Gi/mnod,, pi. 2, f. 3. 

 Paradiodon quadrimaculaius, Bleek., Atl. Ichth., v, 1865, 58, pi. 212 ; Gymnod., pi. 8, f. 2. 

 Diodon maculatus, Gthr., Cat. Fishes, viii, 1870, 307. 



Locality : Lower California. 



Our species corresponds to var. a of Giinther. It presents some points 

 of difference, which we will note. The frontal row of spines the long- 

 est; nearly all the spines of the back and sides are longer than the 

 diameter of the eye. The black band between the eyes does not extend 

 completely across the interorbital space, but is interrupted in the center ; 

 it extends downward behind the eyes. The color is distributed over 

 the rest of the body as follows: — A vertical band beneath the eye; a 

 broad band across the nape of the neck ; a large round spot on either 

 side above and behind the base of the pectoral fin ; a large triangular 

 spot, with apex truncated, in the middle of the back ; a V-shaped spot 

 more posteriorly, diverging anteriorly, and with the base of the dorsal 

 fin situated in the angle. Besides these, there are a number of small 

 round spots scattered over the back and sides, one of which, larger than 

 the rest, on the side, is situated behind and on a line with the inferior 

 edge of the pectoral fin. 



Length, 6 inches. 



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