N0.1254. GYMNODONT FISHES OF JAPAN— JOttDAN AND SNYDER. 21^5 
,sli<rhtly concave, the distance lietween eyes about equal to twice their 
diameter; snout rather long, about twice the diameter of eye. Nostrils 
separate, not tubular, in a shallow, oval depression, their distance 
anterior to eye about equal to half the space between eye and upper 
edge of gill opening. Teeth pointed in front, their cutting edges 
concave, the groove between upper teeth pronounced, bordered on 
each side by a ridge. Gill opening extending a little above base of 
pectoral, the inner or secondary Hap completel}^ hidden by the outer. 
A line of mucous pores extending from the upper, anterior part of 
snout backward below eye, curving upward behind ey^e, passing in a 
broad curve above the pectoral, bending downward in the region of 
the dorsal, and running along middle of caudal peduncle to base of 
caudal tin; a transverse line extending across nape, connecting the 
lateral lines and forming the posterior boundary of a quadrangular 
space, the upper and anterior boundary lines of which unite to pass 
forward over the eye, then downward just posterior to the nostrils 
to join the lateral line; a branch line extending from snout, bending 
downward behind mouth to chin, then running backward along breast 
and disappearing on belly; each line composed of two rows of minute 
papillw. A small but distinct ridge passing along lower side of head, 
below base of pectoral, curving upward over base of anal and extend- 
ing along lower part of caudal peduncle to base of caudal tin. A 
dorsal patch of small pricklej extending backward from nostrils, the 
posterior border acutely convex in shape, ending at a point a))ove tips 
of pectorals; in one specimen a few prickles grow back almost to 
insertion of dorsal; throat, breast, and belly with a patch of prickles, 
larger and farther apart than those above, not extending to the vent. 
Dorsal and anal somewhat falcate, the latter inserted on a vertical 
passing through a point a little anterior to the middle of the former; 
the dorsal slightly higher than the anal, li in head. Caudal lunate, 
the upper lobe slightly longer than lower. Edge of pectoral straight. 
Color gray or faintly mottled above; silver^'- on lateral and ventral 
parts; tins pale; edges of dorsal and caudal darker. ^ 
Here described from Nagasaki specimens. An example from Tokyo 
has a brownish spot on upper part of base of pectoral. 
East Indies, north to Japan; rather common. Our specimens from 
Tokj^o (2) and from Nagasaki (8). {S_padiceus^ nut-brown.) 
4. SPHEROIDES STICTONOTUS (Schlegel). 
Tetrodon stictonotus Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, 1847, p. 280, pi. cxxvi, fig. 1, 
Nagasaki. — Gunther, Cat. Fish., VIII, p. 281, Nagasaki. — Nystrom, Hand. 
Svensk. Vet. Ak., 1887, p. 48, Nagasaki.— Ishikawa, Prel. Cat., 1897, p 2, 
Tokyo. 
Gasirophi/Kus .<itkirmotus Bleeker, Act. Soc. Indo-Nederl., Japan, IV, p. 30. 
Head 8| in length; depth -ir^; depth of caudal peduncle H| in head; 
eye 7i; snout 2i; interorbital space ^|; dorsal rays 16; anal rays 14. 
