ß58 Frits Johansen. 



the same size; they form no distinct rows (except on the unpaired 

 fins) but are scattered about irregularly. The spines of the head 

 occur especially on the preoperculum and on the forehead; the 

 spines of the body are much more developed in front of a line 

 from the front edge of D^ to the beginning of A than behind this 

 line. There are spines at the base of D^ and A, but not under D^ ; 

 the last is covered with a skin and has an outer, complete row of 

 5 large spines. There are no spines on P or inside (below) the two 

 rows from the anus to A, as in the following. 



The other 3 larger specimens (ca. 65, ca. 75, 115 mm) agree with 

 each other in the spiny equipment, which is developed in the form 

 of 6 rows of (mostly large) spines on each side, forming 4 rows on 

 the forehead to the snout, a row of small spines under the eye and 

 2 rows of larger and smaller spines along the preoperculum. Further, 

 there are small spines inside (below) the two abdominal keels, along 

 D- and A and on P, in addition to the earlier mentioned, 5 small 

 shields on the tips of the rays of D^. 



Comparing the above descriptions, we may perhaps draw the 

 following conclusions; the dorsal spines are the earliest developed 

 and most constant; next come the spines on the abdomen and lateral 

 region of the tail, which however are generally larger and earlier 

 present than the spines of the gill-cover and fins. 



Regarding the colour of the fish I have observations and 

 coloured sketches of 6 types. At 18 mm (PL XLIV, fig. 4) the two 

 eyes are like the centres of a star of radiating, bluish-green stripes, 

 which lose themselves backwards in the yellowish-brown ground- 

 colour (on the head, trunk and tail), which alternates in the form 

 of stars with the green stripes. The brown colour is darker on the 

 trunk than on the head and still darker on the tail; it is in the 

 form (especially dorsally) of dotted spots or patches, indicating 

 tesselated marking (cf. the black and reddish-yellow colour of the 

 adults on the back and sides). In the region of the tail this brown 

 colour forms a characteristic marking, as it continues down on to 

 the light ventral aspect as pointed tongues (most distinct between 

 D- and A). P, 1)2, С and A have brown and light-red spots on 

 the outer margins, the sucker is of the same colour as the belly. 



At 27 mm (PI. XLIV, fig. 5) the radiating, green stripes of the 

 eye are still more covered by the brown ground-colour (but can 

 still be detected). The latter is still darker than in the above 

 (especially the jaws, gill-cover, lateral aspect of the trunk) and the 

 characteristic marking on the side of the caudal region is distinct. 

 The ventral aspect is silvery and the sucker light-red; P has a large, 

 triangular, yellow to whitish-blue spot at the base and a yellowish- 



