312 



trunk about three fourths of the tail. Eye 1 1 12, about twice in 

 the length of the snout, situated about in the anterior fourth 

 of the head. Posterior nostrils slightly in advance of the eye, 

 anterior nostrils in a tube, shorter than eye. Dorsal about twice 

 lower than height of body, commencing above the posterior 

 third of the pectorals ] ). Vertical fins ending near point of tail. 

 Length of pectorals more or less than thrice in length of 

 head. Teeth conical, fixed; anterior maxillary teeth irregularly 

 uni-, posterior biserial, in the lower jaw irregularly biserial. 

 Vomerine teeth bi- or triserial, those on intermaxillary plate 

 stoutest, forming a group. Brownish above, somewhat lighter 

 below, dorsal and anal fin darker. Length 486 mm. [Types of 

 the three species of BLEEKER in the British Museum seen by us]. 

 Habitat: Nias; Celebes (Makassar!, Badjoa, Menado!); 

 Ambon!. 



15. Ophichthys versicolor (Rich.). 



Ophisurus versicolor Richardson, Ereb. & Terror, Zoology 1844, p. 103. 

 Elapsopsis versicolor Kaup, Cat. Apod. Fish 1856, p. 10. 

 Ophichthys versicolor Giinther, Cat. Brit. Mus. VIII. 1870, p. 68. 



Height 46. Head about 13, one-fifth of the length of the 

 trunk; head and trunk slightly shorter than tail. Eye n, more 

 than twice in the length of the snout, situated in the anterior 

 third of the head. Anterior nostrils a short tube, shorter than 

 eye, wider at its extremity than at its commencement. Posterior 

 nostrils opposite to frontborder of eye. Upper jaw much pro- 

 jecting beyond the lower; cleft of mouth extending somewhat 

 behind eye. Dorsal low, its origin above the middle of the 

 pectorals. Pectorals small, shorter than snout. Teeth pointed, 

 immovable. Vomerine and mandibulary teeth in a single series, 

 those on the vomer in the middle with indication of an irre- 

 gular second series. Maxillary teeth in a single series, in the 

 middle irregularly biserial; on the intermaxillary plate there 

 are 9 teeth, 8 of which in a double row. Body encircled by 



i) In the type of O. celebicus (Blkr.) in the British Museum, which is a young 

 specimen of 200 mm. length, the distance of the origin of the dorsal from the 

 gillopenings is much shorter than in O. broekmeyeriWikr. and 0. amboinensis Blkr. 

 This distance measured in the length of the head is for O, amboinensis Blkr. 

 [486 mm. total length] and for O. broekmeyeri Blkr. [327 mm. total length] 3.4 

 in length of head and for 0. celebicus Blkr. = 7 times in length of head. 



We agree with the observation of GUNTHER about the teeth of O. celebicus Blkr. 



