28 



S. TAN AK A 



present but the specimens, 2 in all, of the present species seem not to 

 possess an organ of the kind. 



Dorsal inserted slightly nearer to origin of anal than to that of 

 ventral and also slightly nearer to tip of pectoral than to base of 

 caudal. Ventral inserted nearer to posterior nostril than to base of 

 caudal. Caudal forked, with well developed rays which reach to base 

 of anal. Vent represented by a longitudinal slit, overlapped by the 

 short ventral fins. Adipose fin small, inserted before last anal ray. 

 Lateral line incomplete, ending behind middle of anal fin. 



Colour in formalin translucent, the back being somewhat darker ; 

 sides of snout blackish. A small black spot directly in front of eye 

 and a rather faint one immediately below it. Opcrcles externally 

 bright silvery, internally blackish. Median line of abdomen blackish, 

 with a median narrow whitish space backward from vertical through 

 tip of pectoral ; caudal peduncle washed with blackish and silvery, 

 this area extending forward to middle of anal. Peritoneum black ; 

 fins largely translucent, slightly dusky. Caudal and anal slightly 

 blackish, the anterior part of anal black-punctate at base ; ventral 

 similarly marked at base. 



The species differs from Lestidium nudimi Gilbert in having inser- 

 tion of dorsal nearer to origin of anal than to that of ventral, in longer 

 base of anal and in rather smaller head. 



Two specimens were captured in Sagami Sea by Mr. Aoki in 

 1908. Both are contained in the Zoological Museum of the Science 

 College, the register number of the type being 2013. 



Measurements of Lestidium japonicum. 



Specimen 



A. 



15. (Type.) 





19.0 cm. 



1 7.4 cm. 





I.I „ 



1.0 „ 





1.2 „ 



12 „ 



