70 



OPHIOCEPHALID.i: 



wliich is G to 8 times in lensj;tli of head and 1^, to '2h times in inter- 

 orbital width ; maxilhiry exteudins^ beyond vertical of posterior border 

 of eye ; a few lai'ge canines on each side of lower jaw ; nasal tentacle 

 I to 1 diameter of eye; 11 or 12 series of scales between eye and angle 

 of prajopercnlnm. 10 or 11 \ery short gill-rakers on lower ])art of 

 anterior arch. Dorsal 42-49, longest rays ^ to i length of lioad. Anal 

 30-34. Pectoral i to f lengtli of head, longer than ventral. Camhd 

 snbacuminate. Caudal peduncle IJ to 2 times as deep as long. Scales 

 striated, cycloid, 74-82 above lateral line, ^.!\^ below first dors.il ray ; 

 lateral-line tubes 26-3G. Olivci-brown above, greyish beneath, with a 

 lateral series of large dark brown or blackish spots, with or without 

 ol)!i(iue bands above and below them, forming chevrons on tlie sides; 

 a broad blackish band along each side of the head, behind the eye, 



Fip. 43. 



OpliiocejjhaJus a/riainits. 

 Type, after Steindachner (/. c). 



1 



followed bv a large spot on the gill-cover; lower surface of head spotted 

 or marbled with whitish; fins greyish or dark olive, spotted with black, 

 pectoral with dark bars. Young yellowish, with a broad blackish lateral 

 band extending on the caudal tin. 



Total length 320 millim. 



Lagos to Calabar. — 'I'ype in Stuttgart Museum. 

 1. Ad. Laf^os. Su- A. Moloney (P.). 



2-5. A.I., ligr.. & }•(>■. Assay, Lowor Nigor. J. S. Biulj^ett, Esq. (P.). 



G. Hgr. Old Calahar. Dr. J. A. Smith (P.). 



2. OPHIOCEPHALUS OBSCURUS. 



(iiiiitli. Cat. Fisli. iii. ]>. -ITl") (18(il), and Petlioiick's Tiav. ii. p. 21."), pi. ii. fig. P. 

 (!!:>(;;») ; Steiiid. Sitzb. Ak. AVien, Ixxxiii. i. 1881, p. 107, and Notes Leyil. 

 Mus. xvi. 18'.I4, p. :56 ; Boideng. Poiss. Bass. Congo, p. dC>8 (1901), and 

 Fish. Nile, p. 4:?8, j)!. Ixxxii. (l'.H)7) ; Stoiml. Donkselir. Ak. Wien, Ixxxix. 

 I'.li:',. p. 48; PrlU-or. Poiss. P.ass. Tcluul. j). ll'.t, fig. (I'.Ul). 



