conflicting testimony as to its toxicity. Some say it is poisonous, others that 

 it can be eaten. It is said to be eaten at Ebon. Since it is taken comparatively 

 rarely and may be confused with fishes of other families which closely resemble it 

 in general appearance, it is impossible to give a definite opinion. 

 [Table 40 ] [Page 50 ] 



In any case, it is judged to be either nonpoisonous or very slightly poisonous 



6, Sujitarumi (Plate 7 Figure 19) 



Scientific name - L utjanus kasmira (Forskal) 



Local name - jetar" lMarshallese) 



Distribution - Red Sea, Indian Ocean, S. China, Philippines, Formosa, S, Honshu 



Morphology - Readily identified by its characteristic coloration. 



Toxicity. Completely nonpoisonous. Large quantities are caught and sold as 

 food fish. We ourselves ate this species with no ill effects. No experiments were 

 performed, but since the species also occurs in Japan it is cited here for the 

 information of those who may suspect it of being poisonous. The flavor is deli- 

 cious, resembling that of the isaki [ Parapristipoma trilineattm (Thunberg)] of 

 Japan. 



7. Aona (Plate 7 Figure 20) 



Scientific name - Aprion virescens Valenciennes 



Local name - aona, aomachi, acnnasu, oinaohi (Saipan Japanese), suzuki (Marshalls 



Japanese) 

 Distribution - N. Australia (Queensland), Inner South Seas, Hawaii area 

 Morphology - Dorsal XI, 9, anal III, 8, Body shallow and thick, nearly fusiform. 

 Scales of lateral line 48. Color silver, bluish dorsally, belly silvery white. 

 (The figure is too blue all over the body.) The species attains lengths of 

 nearly one meter. 



Toxicity. Of two cats experimented with, the one which ate the cooked flesh 

 vomited and apparently did not assimilate the poison, for no other ill effects 

 were noted. The one which ate raw flesh showed no reaction. Of 12 mice, three 

 which ate cooked flesh and two which ate raw flesh showed some reaction. 

 [Page 51] 



At Saipan the natives said that fish of this species taken at a point four 

 miles west of Charanka invariably cause poisoning. Like the dokuhiraaji 

 [Caranx melampygus], this fish can be soaked overnight in icewater and made into 

 fishcake the following day v/ithout causing poisoning. 



In the Marshalls this species is said to cause slight poisoning, that is, the 

 victim does not die but only feels intoxicated ( jirik kalek in the native language) 



TW.8 species is easily taken. The author was aboard a vessel from which, 

 during freight - carrying operations, a specimen nearly one meter long was caught 

 from the deck. The crew were about to eat it, but when they asked the natives 

 whether it was all right, they were told that it was kalek. 

 [•Pables 41, 42] [Page 52] 



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