FISHES FORM JAPAN. 



39 



the length of head. Teeth pointed, in narrow bands on jaws, vomer 

 and palatines; gill-mambranes forming a broad fold across the isthmus. 

 Nostrils with tubes. Head naked ; body with minute, circular, deeply 

 imbedded scales ; no lateral line. 



Dorsal inserted above base of pectoral ; the spines strong, curved, 

 pungent, their length equal to one-half diameter of orbit ; that of the 

 rays equal to length of orbit ; membrane of the fin thick anteriorly, 

 posteriorly becoming somewhat thinner ; not incised between spines or 

 rays; both the spines and rays completely concealed; base of spinous 

 part of fin occupying £ the length from origin of the fin to tip of tail. 

 Anal inserted immediately behind vent and about beneath the twenty- 

 second spine of dorsal ; the spine strong, equal in height to the rays which 

 are somewhat higher than diameter of orbit ; membrane of the fin not 

 incised. Dorsal and anal confluent with caudal which is rather rounded. 

 Pectorals rounded posteriorly. No ventrals. 



Colour in formalin brownish, without markings throughout ; head of 

 same colour, without markings ; occipital parts with a darker patch. 

 Vertical fins all of similar colour, without markings except that there 

 is a blackish oblong spot on the anteriormost rays of the spinous 

 dorsal ; pectoral pale, without markings. 



The species is allied to Zoarchia 's vaicficus Jordan & Snyder, but 

 differs from this in having a somewhat larger number of spines and 

 rays in vertical fins and especially in having no markings. The species 

 also resembles Zoarchias neglectus Tanaka, differing however in show- 

 ing no markings and in the number of spines and rays in vertical fins. 



A single specimen was collected in Sagami Sea in 1908. It is 

 contained in the Zoological Museum as the type of the species, the 

 register number being 2011. 



Measurements of ZoarcMas glaber. 



Total length (measured to tip of caudal) 



10.5 cm. 





0.8 „ 



