1907.] ON FISHES OF THE GENUS VELIFER. 633 



4. Descriptions o£ the Teleosteau Fish ^^eUfer hypseloptems 

 and o£ a new Species of the Greniis Velifer. By C. Tate 

 Regan, M.A., F.Z.S. 



[Received May 28, 1907.] 



In the ' Fauna Japonica ' Schlegel described and figured a re- 

 mai'kable Teleostean fish to which he gave the name Velifer, 

 and for which Bleeker subsequently proposed the specific appellation 

 hypselajyterus. 



There are three examples of this species in the British Museum 

 collection, measuring nearly 200 mm. in total length ; their 

 principal external characteristics are given in the following 

 description. 



Yelifer hypseloptbrus. 



Velifer Schleg. Faun. Japon., Poiss. p. 312, Suppl. PL A 

 (1850). 



Velifer hypselopteriis Bleek. Verh. Ak. Amst. xviii. 1879, 

 "Japan," p. 16; Jord. & Snyd. Annot. Zool. Japon. iii. 1901, 

 p. 69. 



Body ovate, strongly compressed, covered with rather 

 small, thin, not very adherent cycloid scales, of which there 

 are nearly 70 in a longitudinal series ; lateral line complete, 

 nearly straight. Head scaly, except the snout ; none of the bones 

 of the head serrated ; mouth rather small, toothless, very pro- 

 tractile ; maxillary completely exposed ; two nostiils on each side ; 

 eye lateral, of moderate size, its diameter about \ the length of 

 snout and \ the length of head. Gill-membranes narrowly joined 

 to the isthmus ; 6 branchiostegals ; 4 gills, a slit behind the fourth ; 

 pseudobranchise large. Dorsal fin extending nearly the whole 

 length of the back, with 2 spines and 32 or 33 articulated rays, 

 of which the first 22 to 24 are simple, the last 8 to 10 branched ; 

 anal fin long, without spines, of 24 or 25 rays, 15 or 16 simple 

 and 8 to 10 branched ; doi'sal and anal fins gTeatly elevated 

 anteriorly, each depressible within a scaly sheath. Pectoral of 

 moderate length, with sub-horizontal base on the level of the sub- 

 operculum, asymmetrical, with 15 or 16 rays, the upper the 

 longest. Ventrals rather elongate, below the pectorals, close 

 together, of 8 articulated rays, the inner 7 branched ; a well- 

 developed scaly axillary process. Caudal forked. Silvery, back 

 greenish ; fins dusky, the dorsal and anal with oblique sti'ipes or 

 series of spots. 



Hah. Japan. 



A second species is represented in the British Museum, viz. : — 



Velifer multiradiatus, sp. n. 



Dorsal fin of 41 I'ays, of which about the last 20 are branched. 

 Anal fin of 33 rays, of which about the last 16 are branched. 



