A COLLECTION OF FLSHES FROM SUMATRA. 551 



GOBIINiE. 

 239. GoBius VENUSTULus sp. nov. Plate XXI, lower figure. 



Head 3^; depth 5i; D. VI— i, 10 ; A. i, 9 ; P. 17 ; V. 5 (5) ; scales 25 to base 

 of caudal ; scales 8 in a transverse series at origin of anal ; depth of head about If 

 in its length; width of head H; snout 2|; eye 4 ; width of mouth 2i; maxillary 

 34-; pectoral 1^; ventral 1^; second dorsal spine If ; first dorsal ray 2 ; last dorsal 

 ray If ; first anal ray 2| ; last anal ray If ; caudal 1 ; least depth of caudal pedun- 

 cle 21; interorbital space 2-1- in eye. 



Body elongate, depressed in front, and sides compressed, more especially pos- 

 teriorly. Greatest depth about belly. Caudal peduncle elongate, compressed. 



Head rather large, depressed, lower surface more or less flattened, and upper 

 surface convex or rounded. Upper profile steep and convex till above eye, after 

 which it is more or less straight. Snout blunt, rather short, broad, and convexly 

 rounded. Eye rather small, high, somewhat directed upAvard, and posterior margin 

 a trifie behind middle of head. Jaws rather large and powerful, upper margin 

 slightly protruding. Mouth rather small, broad, and maxillary reaching anterior 

 margin of orbit. Lips rather thin, fleshy. Teeth large, sharp pointed, in broad 

 bands and with an outer series somewhat enlarged. No vomerine or palatine teeth. 

 Upper buccal flap rather broad. Tongue broad, thick, truncated, and not free in 

 front. Nostrils small, anterior with a short elevated fleshy rim, and posterior 

 directly in front of eye. Nostrils also separated, anterior in a short tube. Inter- 

 orbital space narrow. 



Gill-opening lateral, slightly oblique, and its length about two and two-fifths in 

 head. 



Scales large, thin, finely ctenoid. Head with small and crowded scales on top, 

 otherwise naked. 



Dorsal spines flexible, second longest, and all rather high. Fin inserted a 

 little behind first third in length of trunk. Second dorsal inserted over origin of 

 anal, rays more or less uniform in height but becoming more elongate posteriori}-, 

 last longest. Anal similar. Caudal elongate, median rays longest, and fin rounded 

 when expanded. Pectoral long, broad, upper rays short and silky, and those just 

 below middle of fin longest. Ventrals united, with a rather broad frenuni in front, 

 and when depressed reaching anus. 



Color in arrack pale or dull olivaceous-brown above, lower surface whitish- 

 brown without olivaceous tinge. Several series of small brown spots longitudinally 

 on head and back. A brown streak below eye, and another behind lower margin 

 of preopercle. A short black line on margin of preopercle. Opercle with a brown 

 spot in middle. Several large deep brown spots in front of base of pectoral. Lower 

 side of body with- two longitudinal series of large deep brown blotches. Pectoral 

 crossed by six or seven narrow pale blue cross-lines. Spinous dorsal with a whitish 

 margin below which is a blackish shade. Spinous dorsal also with four or five 

 blackish-brown inclined cross-lines. Soft dorsal with a number of slightly inclined 

 rather long brownish lines extending over several rays. Anal brownish, with sim- 



