A REVIEW OF THE FLAT-HEADS, GURNARDS, AND OTHER 

 ^IAn.-CHEEKED FISHES OF THE WATERS OF JAPAN. 



By David Starr Jordan and Robert Earl Richardson, 



Of Stanford University. 



In earlier volumes of these Proceedings the Japanese represent- 

 atives of certain families of Scleroparei, or Mail-cheeked fishes 

 (Scorpsenida?,, Hexagrammida?, Cottidse, Agonida?, Liparidas, and Cy- 

 clopterida?) , have been described b}^ Messrs. Jordan and Snyder and 

 by jSIessrs. Jordan and Sta'rks. In the present paper the remaining 

 families of this group are consitlered. The specimens examined were 

 collected in 1900 by Professors Jordan and Snyder. Series of these 

 specimens are in the United States National Museum and in the 

 museum of Stanford University- The accompanying illustrations are 

 the work of Mr. William S. Atkinson. 



Family PLATYCEPHALID^. 



THE FLATHEADS. 



Head flattened and more or less armed with spines and serratures, 

 scaly posteriorly; body depressed anteriorly, subcylindrical pos- 

 teriorly, covered closely everywhere with ctenoid scales; lateral line 

 present; two dorsal fins, the first preceded by a short detached spine; 

 vsntrals I, 5, thoracic, inserted wide apart, and well behind pectorals; 

 lower rays of pectorals more or less free at tips; no pectoral append- 

 ages; jaws, vomer, and palatines with bands of villiform teeth, some 

 of the teeth sometimes enlarged and more or less canme-lil^e; tongue 

 free at tip; no air bladder; pyloric appendages in moderate number. 



Japan and the northwest Pacific, and all Indian, Polynesian, and 

 Australian seas, to the eastern coast of Africa. Species about 40; 

 genera 4. Tliree genera and 7 species found in the waters of Japan. 

 They are- abundant market fishes and in coimiion with the larger 



Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. XXXIII— No. 1581. 



629 



