OPLOPOMUS 167 



Dorsal VI, 1-9 or 10 ; anal I, 9 or 10 ; there are 28 to 30 scales 

 in a longitudinal series and 8 or 9 in a transverse series ; Stein- 

 dachner's specimens had 26 scales. 



The body moderately elongate, laterally much compressed, the 

 depth nearly equal to length of head, 4.3 to 4.5 in length; the 

 head much deeper than wide, nearly as deep as body, its length 

 3.5 to 3.7 in total length; the convex snout short, blunt, steeply 

 descending, 3.75 times in head; the eyes very high up and 

 close together, equal to or slightly longer than snout; the inter- 

 orbital contained twice in eye; the mouth strongly oblique with 

 lower jaw a little projecting, the posterior angle of maxillary 

 under front margin of eye or extending to its anterior part; 

 the teeth in three rows in upper jaw, an outer row of enlarged 

 curved fixed teeth, and two rows of minute depressible teeth; 

 in the lower jaw a short row of enlarged teeth in front, termi- 

 nating laterally in a pair of backward-curving canines, and two 

 inner rows of minute depressible teeth; the body covered with 

 ctenoid scales, largest posteriorly, becoming minute above oper- 

 cles; the head entirely naked; the nape naked back as far as 

 above middle of opercles, the median region naked back almost 

 to first dorsal, with only a row or two of scales or none at all 

 directly in front of it; a stout spine on lower posterior margin 

 of preopercle, or more rarely there are two; the spines of first 

 dorsal, except first, elongated, with threadlike tips, the fifth or 

 fourth and fifth longest and equal to head ; the second dorsal and 

 anal of moderate height, the posterior rays f as long as head 

 and reaching base of caudal when depressed; the pectorals 

 broadly rounded, a little shorter than head; the long pointed 

 ventrals 0.8 as long as head and nearly or quite reaching anus; 

 the depth of caudal peduncle 2^ times in head or If in its own 

 length ; the round pointed caudal about 0.9 as long as head ; the 

 anal papilla small, slender, and pointed in males, short, thick, 

 and rounded in females. 



The color markings of a fresh specimen were very beautiful ; 

 the body was pale yellowish green, with brilliant red, orange, 

 or blue ocelli on sides of trunk, one to a scale; there were five 

 blackish spots along middle of side, the first under pectoral, and 

 a sixth, circular one on base of caudal fin; the opercles were 

 marked by bright blue spots and the yellow cheeks by a few 

 large blue spots; the nape was pale orange red; above opercle 

 was a diagonal, short, blue bar ; the first dorsal was crossed by 

 a series of large red blotches, with yellow beneath them and a 

 bright yellow margin and a large black spot on upper posterior 



