FISHES COLLECTED IN JAPAN. 



281 



50. SCOMBERESCOX SAIRA, N. S. 



PLATE VII, fif*. 1. Reduced. 



Notes. — From Simoda. 1 1^- inches, Saira-owoo. 



This curious fish is evidently a Scomber esox, hut in some points so different from the known 

 species of that genus that it will perhaps he found to constitute a new one when specimens can 

 he examined. No Scomberesox has been hitherto described as from Japan. The S. Forsteri of 

 New Zealand, (Cuv. and Val., XVIII, 481,) seems to come nearest to it, hut that fish has the 

 usual prolonged mandibles of the others. 



The body is regularly fusiform in profile, and probably cultrate in section ; head and jaws 

 tapering to a point ; these last acute, of even length, and not prolonged, as in other Scom- 

 beresocidae; nostrils large; eyes large and round; head and body covered with rather large 

 scales. Ventrals not indicated in the figure. Dorsal with nine or ten rays, a little in advance 

 of the anal, both low and of subequal height, with five accessory unlets above, and four below. 

 Lateral line indistinct. Caudal small, and deeply forked, with pointed lobes. 



If the length (11|- inches) from the snout to centre of caudal margin be divided into one hun- 

 dred parts, the following proportions are found : 



Jaws 4. 50 



Snout to eyes 9. 00 



Diameter of eyes 3.00 



Snout to opercles 21. 00 



Greatest height of body (at 40. 00 from snout) 11. 00 



Height over opercles - 8.00 



Height at base of caudal 2.00 



Snout to pectorals 22. 00 



Pectorals long 7.00 



Snout to ventrals - 48.00? 



Snout to dorsal -. 63.00 



Base of dorsal, long - 10. 00 



Anterior rays of dorsal -- 5.00 



Snout to anal _ ._ - 64. 00 



Base of anal, long - 11.00 



Anterior rays, do 4. 00 



Outer caudal rays -- 13.00 



It will thus be seen that the jaws form but | of the length of the head, that the whole head 

 is but 4f times in the total length, and that the eyes are rather nearer to the snout than to the 

 opercles — in all which it varies from all others of the genus. 



Colors. — Back of head and body dark greenish blue, becoming lighter on sides of head and 

 body and white beneath, as far as the anal. Irides pale green. Pectorals dark dusky blue, 

 dorsal and caudal dull green, finlets dusky blue, anal pale dusky. 



The figure seems to hive been drawn of the natural size. But one specimen of it was 

 observed. 



The local name Saira-owoo signifies "spear fish," which has been adopted as its specific name. 

 A similar name, Saiivo, occurs iu the Japanese Encylopedia.- — (See Abel Eemusat. Notices et 

 extraits des manuscrits. Vol. XI, p. 216, No. 30.) Judging from the Japanese figure only, 

 either Cuvier or Eemusat has added to the local name " sorte de fistulaire." Owoo and Iwo 

 both signify " fish," and are simply dialectic variations. 



36 s 



