25U PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.xxiv. 
Bod}' rather robust, the skin usually more or less prickly. Nostril 
on each side with a tentacle, bifid to the base, its tips without opening, 
the branches of the large olfactory nerve ending in cup-like depres- 
sions along the inner edges of the two flattish lobes. Dorsal and anal 
^fins rounded, each of 7 to 14 rays; the dorsal more or less in front of 
anal; caudal rounded. Vertebra? usually 8+10 = 18. A ring muscle 
about the eye forming eyelids. Species numerous, chiefly of the 
tropical Pacific; distinguished from Spheroidex by the solid nasal 
tentacles. Most or all of our species belong to the section or genus 
Ovotfles, distinguished by the form of the postf rontals and prefrontals, 
which are deflected to describe the segment of a circle. The value 
of this character should be tested before Ovoldes is recognized as a 
distinct genus, {rhpa^ four; oSovg, tooth.) 
a. Tetraodon: Dorsal and anal rather large, each of about 14 rays; body everywhere 
with round pale spots; belly paler than back .firtnameidum, 19. 
aa. OvoiDEs: Dorsal and anal small, each of about 10 rays. 
h. Spots on back.})lack, darker than the ground color; spines on belly black; 
forehead broad, flattish; spines stiff aerustaticm, 20. 
hb. Spots on back whitish or pale, paler than the ground color; spines on belly 
whitish, rather flexible, 
c. Belly crossed by black parallel stripes with white interspaces, the stripes fad- 
ing with age; interorbital are; con -^ave; gill-opening black hispidvs, 21. 
cc. Belly covered with round white spots on a dark background, like the back; 
interor1)ital area narrow, flattisli; prickles very close-set rneleagri.% 22. 
19. TETRAODON FIRMAMENTUM (Schlegel). 
HOSHIFUKUTO (STARRY PUFFER). 
Tetrndon fir „i amentum Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, p. 280, pi. cxxvi, fig. 2, 1847, 
NagasakL — Bleeker, Verb. Bat. Uen., Japan, XXVI, p. 124.— Gunther, 
Cat. Fish., VIII, 1870, p. 299, Nagasaki. 
Body rather elongate; small two-rooted spines covering every part, 
except snout and posterior part of caudal peduncle. Snout 2| in 
head, a little less than width of interorbital space, which is rather 
convex. Dorsal and anal higher than in other species, each of about 
14 rays, the front of anal nearly under middle of dorsal; caudal long, 
truncate. 
Color grayish above, paler below; the entire body and base of the 
caudal covered with ovate white spots, smaller than the eye and nar- 
rower than the interspaces of the ground color. Length, a foot. 
Nagasaki; known only from the original types; not seen by us. 
{Ftnit((ii(enfi(iii, the sky; from the starry spots.) 
20. TETRAODON AEROSTATICUS (Jenyns). 
Tetrodon line(dvs Bloch, Ausliind. Fische, I, 1785, p. 128, pi. cxli (not of 
Linnajus), and of various authors. — Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, 1847, p. 287, 
pi. cxxv, fig. 2, Nagasaki. 
ArothrouHneatus Bleeker, Verb. Bat. (Jen., Ja]ian, p. 40. 
