32 ON NEW OR INSUFFICIENTLY DESCRIBED FISHES 



scales of the lateral line retaining any semblance of the 

 living colors. The basal portion of the dorpal and anal 

 fins have also faded like the body, but the outer portion, 

 the caudal, the pectorals and the ventrals remain as before. 



I am inclined to think that the white fin-markings 

 are a token of immaturity,* since in the largest of my speci- 

 mens the marginal dorsal and anal bands are greatly re- 

 duced in width, and the purity of the caudal fin is marred 

 by black lines and spots, which are more closely segregated 

 near the base and tip. 



Described from three examples, measuiing from 36 

 to 40 millim., obtained in the Metropolitan Baths, Bris- 

 bane, during May, 1909, by Mr. Richard Atkinson, and 

 kindly presented by him to the A.F.A.Q. ; Cat. No. 1105-6. 



Erosa fratrtjm sp. nov. 



D. xiv. 7 ; A. iii. 6 ; P. 16 : L.l. 10. Depth of body 

 2' 25, length of head 2* 15, of caudal fin 4*2, predorsal length 

 2'25 in length of body. Length of snout 3.2, diameter of 

 eye 4*1, width of interorbit 2*25, length of maxillary 2* 15,. 

 last dorsal spine 3' 2, last anal 4' 75, length of pectoral 1*55, 

 of ventral 2*15 in length of head. 



Head about as wide as deep. Upper profile of snout 

 feebly complex and strongly declivous ; diameter of eye 

 1*25 in the snout and I'S in the inter orbital region, which 

 is flat ; maxillary extending to a little beyond the anterior 

 border of the eye, the width of its distal extremity 2*7 in 

 that of the interorbit. Bones of the head deeply pitted 

 and ridged ; preorbital with three blunt points on its 

 anterior border ; supraorbitals wider forming the lateral 

 margins of a deep fossa, which contains the distal extre- 

 mities of the premaxillary processes ; they are united 

 opposite the hinder half of the eyes by a much 

 narrower bony bridge, which separates the frontal fossa 

 from the occipital pit, which is bordered behind by a similar 

 but lower ridge ; parietal armature ending in 3 strong 

 blunt processes, the middle much the largest ; suborbital 

 and preopercular regions very rough, the former with a 

 conspicuous hump, behind which the bony area is greatly 



* As is the case with Euelatichthys niger (M.ertens) =Diagramma 

 erassispinum Kupp.=Z). affine Gthr., in which the caudal fin remains pure^ 

 white until the fish has attained a length of at least six inches. 



