N0.1254. GYMNODONT FISHES OF JAPAN— JORDAN AND SNYDER. 247 
Body rather robust, almost as wide as deep; caudal peduncle conical, 
not compressed, its length If in head. Head much shorter than dis- 
tance between gill opening and insertion of dorsal. Eye about Ih; in 
snout; interorbital area flat, the space between eyes 2^ times their 
diameter. Nostrils in low, oblong, elevations. Teeth obtusely pointed, 
the cutting edges concave; sutures between teeth without groove, 
the elevations on either side scarcely noticeable; width of gill-opening 
somewhat less than that of base of pectoral, the edge of inner flap 
exposed. 
Small prickles on nape, anterior part of back, and on lielly. the skin 
elsewhere smooth. Lateral fold rather prominent posteriori}-. Lines 
of mucous pores rather distinct; arranged as in S. horeaUs. 
Dorsal and anal fins rounded, their height 2 in head. Caudal convex 
posteriorly; its length li in head. Pectoral 2^ in head, its posterior 
edge convex; number of rays, l-t. 
Fig. 6.— Sphekoides niphobf-es. 
Color dark grayish, everywhere above covered with sharply defined 
white stellate spots; nearly all round, narrower than their interspaces, 
and not enlarged or confluent along sides; a distinct black blotch above 
pectoral, with white below it, but not surrounded by white; a black 
blotch below soft dorsal; caudal dusky at tip; fins otherwise pale. 
Described from type No. 6526, Leland Stanford Junior Universit}^ 
Museum; from Tokyo, Japan. 
Our numerous specimens are from Tokyo, Misaki, Wakanoura, 
Tsuruga, and Nagasaki. On some of these the dark color on the side 
is bordered by a dusky shade. In a few the lateral spots are a little 
larger than those on the back. In all the space just below eye is 
without distinct spots. 
This species is very close to S. aJhojilumheus^ but is smoother, and 
differs from all the others in the stellate character of the spots, which 
are distinctly white. 
{vi(^o/3X?}g, snowed on, from the stellate spots.) 
