Descriptions of Eight New Species of 

 Fishes from Japan. 



BY 



Shigeiio Tanaka, Rigakushi. 



Zoological Institute, Science College, Imperial University of Tokyo. 



1. Lestidium japonicum, n. sp. (Paralepididae.) 



Head 5 to 5^, height of body without ventral keel 17I, the same 

 including the keel about 15 in total length without caudal; eye 63, 

 interorbital 10 to 14, snout '2 in head. 



Body elongate, compressed, deepest at nape, tapering very 

 gradually to the very narrow caudal peduncle. Head long, its posterior 

 parts compressed. Eye lateral, high up, impinging on upper profile, 

 its vertical diameter exceeding the horizontal diameter ; interorbital 

 space slightly concave. Mouth wide, scarcely extending to vertical 

 through anterior rim of orbit. Lower jaw slightly longer than upper 

 jaw but included by the latter ; the anterior arched portion of 

 premaxillaries toothless ; near the front, on each side, is a long, 

 depressible canine, preceded by one or two much smaller, depressible 

 teeth ; behind these, after a short toothless interval, is a single series 

 of short fixed teeth ; mandibular teeth in 2 series, — an outer row of 

 short, fixed teeth and an inner row of longer, canine-like, depressible 

 teeth ; canines widely spaced, about 9 in number on each side ; 

 palatine teeth similar, arranged in 2 series, — an inner series with large, 

 canine-like, depressible teeth, about 6 to 9 in number on each side 

 and an outer series consisting of short, fixed teeth, extending backward 

 farther than the inner series ; vomer toothless ; on each side near the 

 median part of tongue a longitudinal series of small depressible teeth. 

 Dr. Gilbert says* that in his nudum a subocular photophore is distinctly 



* Gilbert— Bull U.S. Fish Commission for 1903, pt. II, 1905, p. 608. 



