502 RKPOUT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FLSIIERIES. 



XVIII. PARAPRISTIPOMA. 



Parapristipoma Bleeker, Archives Nceilaiulaises, viii, 1872 (trilhieatiim). 



Type: Pcrca iriUncata Tlmiiberg, from Jaj^an. 



Etymology: -apd^ near; PriHtipoma ; the geiuis being intermediate 

 between Pomadasis and Plectorhynchus. 



We folloAv Bleeker in referring to tliis genns the speeies virUlemc 

 [octolmeatum), wliich is eertainly very closely allied to Parapnstipoma 

 triUneatum. Along with this we i)lace the second European species, 

 mediterraneum, which, although having something in common with the 

 type of Plectorhynchus, is nearer Pdt'apristlpoma than to PJectorhytichus 

 chcetodonoides. The genus called Plectorhynchus ( ■=I>iagramma Cuvier) 

 contains some 40 species, all conflned to the eastern Pacific and the 

 Indian Ocean. The species of Parapristipoma have comparatively long 

 and slender gill-rakers, a character overlooked by Bleeker. The exten- 

 sion of the scales at the bases of dorsal and anal is also characteristic, 

 as is also the scaliness of the lower jaw and suborbital bones. As this 

 genus has received little attention, we give the following : 



ANALYSIS OF KUROPEAN SPECIKS OF PARAPRISTIPOMA. 



a. Dorsal fin low and nearly continuous; anal short and high ; dorsal au<l anal Itoth 

 with a scaly sheath at ])ase; caudal fin lunate; gill-rakers long and slender; 

 scales small. 

 J). Solt dorsal nearly as long as spinous part; dorsal spines twelve; lower jaw 

 included. Body elliptical, stout, dorsal and ventral outlines nearly straight, 

 anterior profile eteep and straightish, much convex at nape; snout long and 

 sharp; teeth arranged in broad hands, the outer above scarcely enlarged; eye 

 large; preopercle sharply serrate; gill-rakers long and slender, x4-21; scales 

 small, about 64 pores in the lateral line; soft dorsal and anal scaled at base; 

 dorsal fin low, fifth and sixth spines longest, the others sube(|ual; anal deejdy 

 sheathed, soft part high and ])ointed, the second spine long and slender, not 

 quite equal to third; pectoral i)ointed; caudal shallow-forked. Color, grayish 

 brown, with two or three faint longitudinal lines along the sides; edge of 

 fins dusky. Head, 3^ ; depth, 2^ ; D. xii, 17; A. in, 8 to 10; eye, 3i; snout, 3; 

 maxillary, 3J; pectoral, 1^; fifth dorsal spine, 2|; second anal spine, 2J; soft 



dorsal, 1 /„ in spinous. Scales, 65-70 Mkditfrraneu.m, 86. 



1)h. (Soft dorsal about two-thirds length of spinous part; dorsal spines 13; ]k'C- 

 toral flu short, 1:^ in head; lower jaw projecting. Body rather stout, the back 

 moderately elevated, the depth about etpial to length of head, 3 in body; 

 mouth moderate, the maxillary reaching past front of eye; eye, 3} in head, the 

 eye much wider than the narrow preorbital and lower than snout; dorsal lin 

 continuous, thespiTics rather low and slcn<ler; second anal spine rather long 

 and strong; about c(iual to third and rather shoit<!r tli.an the soft rays; pre- 

 opercle sharply serrate; soft dorsal and anal scaly; 1). xiii, 14; A. in, 7; 

 scales small, 12-57-23. Coloration olivaceous, with four narrow sky-blue; 

 longitudinal .streaks on each side of back, the lowest and broadest at level of 

 eye; traces of a fifth streak on chock; fins blotched with d.-irk. Sometinu's 

 nearly plain olivaceous, with f lu' fins dark-edged.) (Steindtichnir.) 



ViRIDKNSE, 87. 



