169 



lowly forked, lobes round; with 7-9 dorsal procurrent rays, 5-7 ventral procurrent rays and 

 19 (10+9) principal rays. 



Left and right supratemporal canals not connecting with each other; six pores. Otic canal 

 with six pores. Supraorbital canal interrupted in some specimens, 12 pores. Infraorbital 

 canal without interruption, 14 pores. Preopercular canal extending to middle of the preo- 

 percle, 10 pores. Mandibular canal without interruption, 6 pores. 



Body lateral line extending from dorsal of gill cover, curving down and following lateral 

 stripe, and ending at the level of the pelvic fin; with about 31 pored scales, depending on 

 specimen's size. (Large individuals have more pored scales than juveniles.) Scales well 

 embedded, covering entire body. 



Pharyngeal bone somewhat slender; posterior limb straight; pitted surface narrow with 

 four to five major fossae. Pharyngeal teeth in two rows, 2.5-4.2, 2.4-5.2, 2.5-5.2, or 1.5- 

 4.1. Teeth robust, hooked at tip (not hooked for one or two teeth near posterior limb). Ma- 

 sticatory surface of teeth smooth. 



37 or 38 vertebrae; 21-22 precaudal vertebrae, 15-17 postcaudal vertebrae. 

 Intestine short and simply coiled, its length 81% of standard length. Anterior chamber of 

 gas bladder shorter than posterior one; the younger the individual, the more similar the 

 two chambers in length. For instance, anterior chamber length 75% of posterior one's 

 length in a 43.5 mm standard length individual, and 50% of the posterior length in a 60.6 

 mm standard length individual. Pneumatic duct placed at constriction of gas bladder. Pe- 

 ritoneum dark. 



Tuberculation. Tubercles present on entire body (lateral, dorsal, and ventral sides of 

 body; and dorsal and lateral sides of head). Each scale in seven or eight rows on breast 

 bearing three to five tubercles at the apical margins. Ventral side of body with fewer tu- 

 bercles than sides and dorsum. Each anterolateral scale bearing one or two rows of tu- 

 bercles; one row close to apical margin, consisting of 4-6 tubercles; second row remote 

 from the margin consisting of 1-3 tubercles. Each scale on the caudal peduncle bearing 

 about 6 tubercles on its apical margin. Tuberculation on fins similar to that in P. cum- 

 berlandensis (see below). 



Coloration. A distinct lateral black stripe extending from anterior end of snout to cau- 

 dal fin base, ending in a distinct round black spot at caudal base. Stripe uniformly nar- 

 row through its length. The mid-dorsal dark stripe extending from the nape to base of 

 caudal fin, best developed pre-dorsally. 



In some specimens, very few melanophores are evident below the lateral stripe and ven- 

 tral side of body (including chin), except for a small area near base of pectoral fin. In 

 other specimens, melanophores are present on entire body. Melanophores are concentra- 

 ted along ventral edge of caudal peduncle, forming an elongated dark area on this region. 

 All fins bearing numerous melanophores. On dorsal, anal, pelvic and pectoral fins, mela- 

 nophores almost evenly distributed though the anterior rays have slightly more melano- 

 phores than the posterior rays in all fins. In breeding males, however, first four or five 

 thick rays of pectoral fin bear more melanophores than the rest, so these thick rays look 

 very dark, the other rays almost colorless. 



