PHILIPPINE MACROUROID FISHES—GILBERT AND HUBBS.. 463 
A darkly pigmented and narrow ventral fossa extends forward, 
with increasing width, to a line joining the posterior ends of the 
ventral bases; the length of the fossa, measured from the center of 
the anus, is equal to the distance between the anus and the anal origin. 
There are 54 scales in a series from the origin of the second dor- 
sal to, but excluding, the lateral line scale. The spinous carinae on 
the scales of the body, 7 to 9 in number, are of moderate strength, 
being much smoother than in maculatus, a little-smoother than in 
velifer, and slightly rougher than in sexradiatus. These carinae 
are armed with as many as 11 slender spinules, which are directed 
backward, and are imbricate on one another; the last spinule pro- 
jects beyond the margin of the scale; the spinules increase but little 
in size posteriorly on each carina. The scales are more completely 
imbricate than in C’. maculatus or velifer. The length of the dorso- 
terminal plate is contained 5.2 times in the postorbital; it is armed 
by 5 double series of spinules; the ventroterminal plate bears 5 sin- 
gle series. Following the terminal plate, on the ethmoid portion 
of the infraorbital ridge, are 7 scales, which become larger poste- 
riorly, and are armed with radiating rows of spinules; the first scale 
in this series, bounding the terminal plate, is somewhat modified 
and enlarged. No interspace separates the ethmoid from the pre- 
orbital series, which is composed of 9 or 10 subquadrate scales armed 
with spinules radiating upward on the first scales from near the 
middle of their lower margins, but on the last scales from near 
their anteroventral angles. The scales on the two following regions 
of the ridge—namely, the suborbital and the preopercular—are ar- 
ranged in two series, and bear carinae diverging strongly upward 
and backward. The median superior rostral ridge is covered by 10 
oblong scales, which are armed with numerous tubercular spinules 
aligned in 12 or fewer series radiating from near the anterior margin 
of each, the point of radiation being nearest the margin on the 
anterior scales. The supranarial ridge is covered by rough scales 
increasing in size posteriorly, and armed with spinous carinae diverg- 
ing strongly from the anteroventral angle of the scale; four scales 
cover the ridge which separates the upper half of the nasal fossa 
from the orbit. 
The seven strong scales along the supraorbital ridge are flat an- 
teriorly, but convex and narrower posteriorly; they are armed with 
series of spinules diverging widely backward. The supraorbital 
ridge scales are bounded within by a narrow naked groove, which 
is not developed in C. velifer. After an interspace as long as a scale, 
the supraorbital series is followed by the postorbital series of scales, 
which are narrow, and bear either a single spinous keel, or three 
divergent carinae. The occipital ridges, from their origin opposite 
119404—20——7 
