BUTIS 47 



Tagalog name, bia sunog, or kaple, at Cavite. 



Dorsal VI, 1-8 or 9 ; anal I, 8 ; scales in a longitudinal series, 

 from opercle to caudal fin, 28 to 30; there are no secondary 

 scales; the number of scales between the first dorsal and the 

 interorbital space is variable, ranging from 14 to 19, usually 

 about 16. 



The dorsal profile not so strongly arched as in B. butis and the 

 body more elongate-cylindrical, the depth contained from 5.6 

 to 6.2 times in the length ; the head long, low, nearly flat on top, 

 and contained 2.8 to 3 times in length; the snout broadly rounded, 

 its length 2.6 to 3 times in head and i or more than an eye 

 diameter; the eyes more on top of head than lateral, and con- 

 tained 4.4 to 5 times in head and equal or nearly equal to in- 

 terorbital space; the mouth large, oblique, with strongly 

 projecting lower jaw, the curved maxillary extending to front 

 margin of eye, or exceptionally a little beyond; the anterior 

 nostril small, with a short, thin-walled, flaccid tubule; the 

 posterior nostril much larger, open; least depth of caudal pe- 

 duncle from 2.8 to 3 times in its own length ; the short ventrals 

 reach about halfway to anal fin; the pectorals extend to anus 

 or to anal fin ; the rounded caudal about i as long as head and 

 trunk. 



The very low orbital ridges smooth or nearly so, close to 

 margin of eye, and without scales on skin between eyes and 

 ridges; the preorbital ridges very low, short, and inconspicuous; 

 a wide naked band extends from snout along inner side of each 

 orbital ridge, the conical space between them more or less scaled, 

 and becoming almost naked posteriorly; the band continues 

 to the upper extremity of pectoral base; the entire body except 

 snout, lips, preorbital space,- and underside of head scaled ; the 

 scales on base of pectoral, breast, and midline of belly cycloid, 

 the rest all ctenoid. The cycloid scales all small to very small. 



The color of alcoholic specimens varies from blackish brown 

 to yellowish brown ; six blackish crossbands more or less evident, 

 the first extending from base of first dorsal; a double black 

 stripe extends along each side from base of pectoral to caudal ; 

 a black stripe extends from snout, where it is often double, 

 through eye to opercle; each scale on side has a pale spot, the 

 spots forming longitudinal rows; behind interorbital space is a 

 large, more or less reddish brown spot ; in front of first dorsal is 

 an elongate pale spot extending along midline of predorsal space ; 

 vertical fins more or less blackish or barred, the membranes 

 black-dotted; upper part of caudal has a whitish band which is 



