244 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.xxiv. 
upward to near base of pectoral. Skin of back and belly covered with 
prickles; the two areas confluent both before and behind pectorals. 
Color very much as in S. vermicularis ; grayish black above with 
numerous round, pale spots which are larger, more confluent, and more 
irregular on sides, none of them sharply defined or stellate, most of 
them broader than the interspaces; a dark blotch behind pectoral; 
another at base of dorsal; the dark blotches more apparent on young 
individuals; caudal dusky toward tip; other fins more or less dusky. 
Coasts of Japan, especially southward, generally common. Our 
specimens are all small, none over 160 mm. in length. They are from 
Aomori, Tokyo, Wakanoura, Onomichi, and Tsuruga. 
Except for the prickly back and sides, this species is scarcely 
difi^erent from Sjjheroldes vennicularis. Our specimens represent 
Tetraodon jjmcilonotlis Schlegel, which seems to be identical with the 
Chinese species called 8. alhoplumbeus. Spheroides oblongus of the 
East Indies is different in color from any of these, Tetrodon niveatus 
from Shimoda with "many small blotches of bluish white" must be 
the present species rather than aS. nlpliobleH^ which has small stellate 
spots of pure white. 
{Alhwi^ white; j^l/umheim^ lead color.) 
14. SPHEROIDES VERMICULARIS (Schlegel). 
MABUKU (TRUE PUFFER). SHIWOSAIBUKU (ESTUARY PUFFER). 
Stachelloser AufUaser aus Nagasaki Krusenstekn, Reise, Atlas, pi. li, fig. 1. 
Tetrodon vermicularis Schlegel, Fauna .Taponica, 1847, p. 278, pi. cxxiv, fig. 1. 
Nagasaki. — Gunther, Cat. Fish., VIII, 1870,p.280, after Schlegel. — Ishikawa, 
Prel. Cat., 1897, p. 2, Esashi, Tokyo, Boshu. 
Gastrophysus vermicularis Bleeker, Verh. Bat. Gen., Japan, XXV, p. 125. 
Head, 3i in length; depth 3^; depth of caudal peduncle 3| in head; 
eye 5i; snout 2f ; interorbital space 2|; dorsal rays 12; anal rays 12. 
Bod}^ somewhat elongate, the caudal peduncle not compressed, its 
length 1^ in head; length of head considerably less than distance 
between gill opening and insertion of dorsal fin. Eye 2^ in head; 
interorbital space flat. Nostrils in an oblong elevation, not tubular. 
Teeth scarcely pointed anteriorl}^, the cutting edges concave; no con- 
spicuous depression along suture, and no vertical ridge on either side. 
Width of gill opening equal to that of base of pectoral, the inner flap 
exposed somewhat. 
Lateral fold well developed. Lines of mucous pores not very distinct, 
arranged as in S. ahhottl. Skin smooth. 
Dorsal and anal If in head, pointed; the anal somewhat falcate. 
Caudal truncate If in head. Pectoral 2 in head, the upper angle rather 
acute, the lower rounded. 
