110 
MKMOIBS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM. 
Leiognathus simplex McCulloch & Whitley, Mem. Qld, Mus. viii., 1925, p. 145. Id. McCulloch, 
Austr. Mus. Mem. v., 1929, p. 212. 
Leiognathus splendens Ogilby, Ann. Kept. Amat. Fish. Assn. Qld., 1910-11, (July 11) p. 11. Id. 
McCulloch & Whitley, Mem. Qld. Mus. viii., 1925, p. 145. Not Equula splendens Cuvier. 
T). viii. ir> ; A. iii./U ; V. i./r> : r. IS : C. 16. L. lat, ? Head (114 mm.) 
2*9 in length to hypnral joint (34) or 3*7 in total length (43) ; depth (15*5) nearly 2-2 
in length to hypnral joint ; eye (4) and interorbital (4) equal to postorbital portion 
of headi (4) and greater than snout (3) ; second dorsal spine (7) 1-6, and second anal 
spine (d-o) 2-5 in head. 
Head longer tlian high and broadest just behind the eyes, its upper profile 
not so convex as the lover ; vertical ami horizontal diameters of eye equal to one 
another and to tlie distance across check from eye to the strongly serrated lower 
preopercular margin ; two antorbital spines and a series of serr^e on the supraorbital ; 
tAvo large nostrils on each side ; interorbital sunken, boumled on each side by strong 
ridges winch are A\ idely separated anteriorly but hank, and later join, the median 
occipital ridge jjosteriorly ; some Avell-markcd radiating stria? at the anterior root 
of tlie occipital ridge and others on upper part of o]?ercuhim ; a minute opercular 
spine : preopercular stay prominent, Avith a feAV coarse serrse at its angle : mouth 
slightly oblique, its gape not extending to below eye ; a band of Avell-developed, 
hooked. setifor*m teeth in each jaw ; a ])ranch of the lateral line system runs around 
the posterior margin of the eye and crosses the upper part of the cheek obliquely to 
ascend the anterior margin of the preorbital, wliere it vanishes before reaching the snout 
Body subovate, eompress(Hk its jnofiles of about equal couA^exity. The type 
is now almost completely denuded of scales, but those remaining are large, round, 
cycloid, and with a simple tube on each of the lateral line scales. The lateral line is 
noAv damaged, but A\ns apparently originally complete ; a row of strong, backwardly 
directed sf>ines along each side of the base of the dorsal and anal fins ; a long alar 
scale at the base of each ventral fin : a ridge extends from the base of the last pectoral 
ray to near the alar scale and on a ievei with the origin of the spinous dorsal hn ; in 
advance of this ridge the breast and thorax are scaly. 
Dorsal preceded by a procumbent spine ; first erect spine small, the second 
long and strong, with slightly rugose anterior edge, and followed by the third and 
fourth spines Avith ])rominent serrations on their anterior edges, which are directed 
to the left and right sid(‘ respectively : the remaining spines are not serrated and 
decrease in size posteriorly ; tlie rays of the dorsal, anal, jiectoral, and caudal fins are 
damaged in the tyj)c : anal spines w ithout serrations, the second erect spitie longest 
and strongest : ventral s]>iue strong, reaching, when adpressed, to tip of procumbent 
anal spine ; caudal a|)parently forked. 
General colour, after long preser\ntion in formalin, straw-brownish, Avith dark 
broAvn pimctulations on snout, extensive membrane of mouth, cheeks, opercles, thorax, 
and flanks ; upper par’ts of body plain : a black blotch on spinous dorsal membrane. 
Described from the lectotype of Eqtuda ovalis De Vis, a specimen 43 mm. in 
total length, selected from ten cotypes, 37 to 45 mm. long. 
