X0.1241. GOBIOID FISHES OF JAPAN— JORDAX AND SNYDER. 43 
short, in broad bands; no teeth on vomer; tongue broad, rounded; 
no preopercular spine; isthmus very narrow, the gill membranes 
alniost separate, and not united with the isthmus; branchiostegals 
unarmed. Dorsal fins short and low, the first of seven spines; ven- 
trals moderate, separate, each 1, 5. 
Japan and China, entering rivers; resem])ling- in form and haint the 
American genus Dormitator. 
{odovz^ tooth; Bidh a related genus, the name of Indian vernacuhxr 
origin.) 
4. ODONTOBUTIS OBSCURUS (Schlegel). 
KAWASUSUKT. 
EJeotris ohscura Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, Poissons, 1847, p. 149, pi. lxxvii, 
figs. 1-.3; streams tributary to the bay of Nagasaki. — GtiNTHER, Cat. Fishes, 
III, 1861, p. 115, .Japan, Chikiang. — Ishikawa, Prel. Cat. Fishes Imp. Mus., 
1897, p. 37, Lake P>i\va, Mail)ara, Matsubara, Hikone, Yamashiro, Yamato, 
Tsuyama. 
Odontohntiii ohscura .Tordan and Snyder, Proe. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1900, p. .370, 
Yokohama. 
Head 2f in length; depth 4; depth of caudal i:)eduncle 2f in head; 
eye fif; snout 3^; maxillary ^li; D. VII-9; A. 8; P. 15; scales in lat- 
eral series 3*), in transverse series If). 
Form ro))ust; the body thick-set; caudal peduncle deep; not much 
compressed. Head somewhat broader than the body, but less deep; 
snout long; pointed; the lower jaw projecting bej^ond the upper. Eye 
small; directed almost laterally; interorbital space concave; distance 
between eyes equal to about half their diameter. Mouth oblicpie; lips 
broad; maxillary concealed by lip and preor])ital; extending to a ver- 
tical through posterior edge of pupil. Tongue very ])road; rounded 
anteriorly. Teeth simple; in narrow ])ands on jaws; the outer ones 
not enlarged. Gill opening extending far forward; the isthmus nar- 
row. Inner edge of shoulder girdle without papillw. Gill-rakers on 
first arch 1 -f- 17; far apart; very stubby. Anterior nostril with a low 
tul)e. No l)arbels on chin. 
Occiput and cheeks with small scales; snout, preorbital area, chin 
and throat naked; liody with rather large, finely ctenoid scales. 
Dorsal fins separate; spinous dorsal when depressed just reaching 
insertion of soft dorsal. Anal inserted l)elow base of second or third 
dorsal ray; the posterior rays longest; reaching slightly farther pos- 
teriorly when depressed than does the dorsal; both falling far short of 
base of caudal. Caudel rounded. Pectorals acutely rounded; upper 
edge without filaments. Ventrals separate; the distance between their 
bases al)out equal to two-thirds the diameter of eye. 
Body with much l)rownish or bluish black, in blotches of irregular 
shai)e and distribution; sides with 7 or S indistinct, narrow, light, 
lateral bands, which are more evident posteriori}^ ; under part of head 
with large, light spots. 
