570 PROCEEDTKCxS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. tol. 41. 



Scales absent on dorsal surface of head, preorbitals, lower jaw, 

 maxillary, limbs of preopercle and anterior margin of opercle. A 

 sheath of small scales present at bases of soft dorsal and anal. Mem- 

 branes of caudal scaled at base and to tip of outer rays. Scales very 

 finely ctenoid. 



Young alcoholic specimens (up to 170 mm. in length) with about 

 eight transverse bars of dark on body, first through angle of opercle 

 and axil of pectoral; second from insertion of dorsal to lateral line, 

 continued by a spot just beliind ventrals; third from fifth and sixth 

 dorsal spines across body; fourth similar, from last spines of dorsal to 

 insertion of anal; fifth from second and third dorsal rays to first of 

 anal; sixth from last of dorsal to axis of body, joining there with 

 seventh from dorsal part of caudal peduncle, and ending at last anal 

 rays; last indistinct across base of caudal. These bars more or less 

 indistinct in different specimens. In our adults, of about 330 mm. 

 length, they are barely to be seen and are much narrower, save for 

 that through eye. Dorsal surface of head also dark; as is anterior 

 half of spinous dorsal, anterior thirds of soft dorsal and anal, ven- 

 trals and caudal. A median lighter stripe sometimes present on 

 caudal, parallel to fin margin. Pectorals clear, lining of mouth, of 

 gill cavity, and peritoneum colorless. 



This species is the GijTnnocranius lethrinoides of Bleeker's Atlas ^ 

 and not his Gymnocranius griseus. He had previously identified his 

 Japanese specimens with G. lethrinoides, which view seems to be cor- 

 rect. Later he separated another species, which had been confused 

 with G. lethrinoides and identified these as G. griseus Temminck and 

 Schlegel. Unless both species are found in Japan, of which there is 

 no record, his later decision seems erroneous. Our specimens cor- 

 respond with the description given by him in "Nieuwe Nalezingen 

 op de Ichthyologie van Japan" in its difl'erences from G. griseus of the 

 Atlas (namely, deeper preorbital, wider interorbital and smaller eye). 

 We think therefore that his first identification should hold, and that 

 Gymnocranius lethrinoides must be regarded as the same as the 

 Japanese G. griseus. 



This species is not rare in southern Japan. Our specimens are 

 from Misaki, Wakanoura, and Nagasaki. 



(griseus, gray.) 



14. Genus TAIUS Jordan and Thompson. 

 Taius Jordan and Thompson, new genus. 

 Type. — CJirysophrys tumifrons Temminck and Schlegel. 

 This genus contains, so far as known, a single species, with the 

 skull structure, coloration and general aspect of Pagrosomus, but 

 with a single row of conical teeth in the sides of the jaws besides a 



1 Vol. 8, 1877, p. 96. 



