56 Mr. C. T. Reo-an on 



V. — JS^otes on the Genus Synaptura, Cantor, loith Descrip- 

 tions of Tivo new Species. By C. Tate Regan, B.A. 



[Plate VI.] 



In a recent list of the fishes of Japan, Messrs. Jordan and 

 Snyder * have separated from the genus Synaptura, Cantor, 

 as a distinct genus^ Zehrias^ the section characterized by the 

 rudimentary left pectoral, of which they recognize three 

 Japanese species, viz., Z. quagga, Kaup, Z. zehrinus, Schlegel, 

 and Z. joponicus, Bleeker. 



According to Day f, examination of the actual type speci- 

 men of Synaptura zebra, Bloch, shows Synaptura quagga, 

 Kaup, to be a synonym of it. If we turn to Bloch's description 

 and figure, there can be little doubt as to the correct judgment 

 of Day; the description of the cross-bands on the body as 

 paired, but confluent posteriorly, is particularly applicable to 

 this species, whilst the total number of cross-bands and their 

 disposition on the head and anterior part of the body are very 

 accurately depicted ; whether the irregularity of the posterior 

 bands is due to the imagination of the artist or to an abnor- 

 mality of the specimen from which the drawing was made is 

 a point not yet cleared up. 



Synaptura zehrina, Schlegel, is undoubtedly a synonym of 

 Synaptura ommafura, Richardson ; and an examination of all 

 the specimens in the British Museum collection has convinced 

 nie that S.japonica, Bleeker, is based on a young specimen 

 of the same species, from which it is said to differ in having a 

 longer nasal tube, the eyes somewhat closer together, and the 

 dorsal and anal fins united only to the ba?al half of the 

 caudal instead of being entirely confluent with it. The 

 t\venty-four cross-bands on the head and body are described 

 as having a light centre and daik edges, instead of being 

 uniformly brown, and the caudal is said to be without yellow 

 spots. 



A specimen of Synaptura ommatura, 75 milHm. long, agrees 

 perfectly with Bleeker's description of S. j'aponica, and a 

 series of specimens shows that during growth the nasal tube 

 becomes relatively somewhat shorter and the eyes further apart, 

 the caudal relatively shorter and approximating to the length 

 of the posterior rays of the dorsal and anal, and the dark 

 edges of the cross-bands less and less well defined. 



1 find that in the closely allied species S. zebra, Bloch, and 



• Annot. Zool. Japon. iil 1901, pt. 2, p. 123. 

 t ' Fishes of India,' p. 430. 



