NO. 1875. THE JAPANESE 8PARIDJE— JORDAN AND THOMPSON. 559 



Key to Japanese species. 



a^. Lethrinichthys. Lateral teeth of jaws conical, not molar. 



¥. Second dorsal spine filamentous, li in head. Six rows of scales above lateral 



line. Depth 3 in length nematacanthus, 17. 



h-. Second dorsal spine not elevated, longest dorsal spine 2f to 3 in head. Centers 

 of the scales darker; vertical fins red in life. Five rows of scales above lateral 



line. Depth 2| in length hsematoptcrus, 18. 



a^, Leihrinus. Lateral teeth of jaws distinctly blunt and molar. 



d. Six rows of scales above lateral line. Depth 2^ in length chcerorhynchus, 19. 



17. LETHRINUS NEMATACANTHUS Bleeker. 



FUEFUKIDAI (flute-mouth porgy); KUCHIBIDAI (red-mouth porgy). 



Lethrinus nematacanlhus Bleeker, Japan, Nat. Tijd. Ned. Ind., vol. 6, 1854, 

 p. 403 (Nagasaki); Nieuwe Nalez. Verb. Bat. Gen., vol. 26, 1857, p. 90, pi. 6; 

 Ned. Tidj. Dierk, vol. 4, 1873, p. 327.— GUnther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus., 

 vol. 1, 1859, p. 456 (Louisiade Archipelago). — Bleeker, Atlas Ichth., vol. 8, 

 1877, p. 114, pi. 337, fig. 3 (Amboyna).— Evermann and Seale, Bull. U. S. 

 Bur. Fish., vol. 26, 190G, p. 86 (Bulan, Philippine Islands). — Jordan and 

 Snyder, Check List, Ann. Zool. Jap., vol. 3, pts. 2 and 3, 1901, p. 80. 



Hahitat. — East Indies, north to southern Japan. 



Description of five specimens from Wakanoura, two from Tokyo, 

 the Imperial University, one from Bulan, Philippine Islands, and one 

 from Moreton Bay, Australia. Body lengths varying from 110 to 

 163 mm. 



Head 2f to 3 in body length; depth 2f to 3^; eye 3^ to 3| in head; 

 snout 2| to 2|; D. X, 9; A. Ill, 8; scales in lateral line 48, in trans- 

 verse series to msertions of dorsal and anal fins 6/14; gill-rakers 4 

 to 6 + 6. 



Dorsal and ventral profiles of body equally and evenly arched from 

 snout to caudaL Upper profile of snout straight or slightly convex, 

 never concave or with tip produced. Preorbital depth contained 3 

 to 3^ in head; width of preopercle at angle about one-half e3^e diam- 

 eter, its margin very flexible, the posterior one nearly vertical. Nos- 

 trils closer together than the posterior one is to the eye. Prefrontals 

 more prominent than usual, the interorbital space broadening ante- 

 riorly, at its narrowest point somewhat less in breadth than the eye. 

 Maxillaries ending under anterior margin of eye, well hidden by 

 prefrontals, which cover their posterior halves, as well as the angle 

 of the mouth. Jaws with a single row of rather large conical teeth, 

 becoming smaller and more acute anteriorly, where they form a band 

 behind the canines. These teeth more obtuse posteriorly, only those 

 of the upper jaw blunt enough to be called molar. Lower jaw ante- 

 riorly with two canines on each side, the outermost pointing slightly 

 back and outward in tuskhke fashion. Upper jaw with two on a 

 side. Canines varying, worn blunt and short in some specimens. 



