129. TETRODONTID^ TETRODON. 861 



wrinkles of the skin; no caudal fold; nasal tentacles distinctly per- 

 forate. Interorbital area flat ; sides without cirri. Head 3 ; depth 4 J. 

 D. 7; A. G. San Diego to Panama; very common southward. 



(Tttrodon poUtm Girard, U. S. Pac. R. R. Surv. Fish. 1858, 340: Tetrodon poUtus 

 Guuther, viii, 281.) 



hh. Skill prickly, more or less. 



1330. T. tcstudineiis L. 



Dark brown above, marbled with lighter; sides to below pectoral 

 fins yellowish brown, marked with many round dark spots; belly and 

 fins immaculate; back, from interorbital region nearljto base of dorsal 

 fin, axils of pectoral and belly nearly to vent covered with minute, 

 imbedded spines. Snout, sides, and tail naked; snout rather produced, 

 the eye being nearer the root of pectoral than tip of snout. Interorb- 

 ital area generally concave; sides sometimes with cirri; length of cau- 

 dal equal to its distance from dorsal. Head 3. D. 8; A. 6. West 

 Indies; occasional on our coasts. 



{Tetrodon festudinctis Linu. Amoeu. Acad, i, 309, and Syst. Nat i, 309: Tetrodon testu- 

 dineus Giiuther, viii, 282.) 



1331. T. spengleri Bloch. 



Dark brown above and on sides to base of pectoral fins ; sides below 

 yellowish, with a series of about twelve round dark-brown blotches 

 about as broad as eye; belly white; caudal fin with a brown bar at its 

 base and a broader one at its margin. A patch of minute spines from 

 the occiput halfway to the dorsal fin; belly spinous to near the vent; 

 head, tail, and most of sides smooth; sides usually with numerous 

 small cirri. Snout i)roduced, the eye nearer root of pectoral than tip 

 of snout. Head compressed, narrow; interorbital sjiace slightly con- 

 cave, very narrow, about half as broad as eye. Head 3. D. 7; A. G. 

 West Indies; occasional on our coast. 



{Tetrodon spengleri Bloch, Ausl. Fische. i, 135: Tetrodon spengleri Giiuther, viii, 284: 

 Cirrhisomus sjiengleri Svvainsou, Class. Fish, ii, 328, 1839.) 



1332. T. tlirg-idus Mitch.— r«^er; Srcell Toad; Bloxver. 



Olivaceous above, marbled with black; belly light orange; sides of 

 body and tail with narrow irregular black cross-bars; an inky blotch 

 below and beliind pectoral fin; fins plain. Body about as wide as deep 

 when not inflated ; interorbital space slightly concave; profile not very 

 steep, depressed in front of the eyes. Caudal peduncle, lips, and bases 

 of fins smooth; skin everywhere else rough with small three-rooted 

 spines, which are largest on the back and belly. No cirri. Eyes 



