126 
MEMO JUS OF TEE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM. 
third of its leng'tli and one tenth more than the length of the head; caudal 
peduncle stout, a little longer than deep, its least depth 64 in the length of 
the body. Head Avitli upper profile rounded and rather strongly acclivous 
anteriorly, the cheeks somewhat swollen, its width 1-31 in its depth, which is 
about equal to its length and 3*33 in the length of the body. Snout obtusely 
rounded, about one fourth of the length of the head and as long as the eye- 
diameter; interorbital region narrow and flat, its width 1-G4 in the eye-diameter. 
Mouth small, with strongly oblique cleft, not extending to the vertical from 
the eye; anterior nostril tubular. Preopercle Avith a few short stout spines 
at its rounded angle. 
Scales 2/24/6, large and ctenoid, of equal size throughout; cheeks, 
opercles, occiput, and lower surface of head behind the chin covered with large 
scales. 
Dorsal fin with vi, i 10 rays; 2nd and 4th dorsal spines with a moderately 
developed, 3rd with a long filamentous appendage, the latter when depressed 
reaching to the end of the soft dorsal; soft dorsal higher than the spinous, the 
rays increasing in length from the front, the middle ones 1*55 in the length of 
the head, but not so high as the body below them, the last two qmoduced in 
.short filaments, extending well along tlie caudal fin. Caudal rounded, with 
none of the rays produced; the middle rays longest, 3-85 in the body -length. 
Anal with 1*9 rays, originating below the 2nd dorsal ray, similar to but shorter 
than the soft dorsal, and without filamentous tips to the last rays. Pectoral 
Avith 17 rays, the middle longest, one third of the body-length, extending when 
appi’cssed to beyond the middle of the anal fin. Ventrais elongate and close 
together, the 4th ray longest, 14 in the length of the head and reaching to the 
3rd anal ray. 
Anal papilla long and slender. 
Olive broAvn, clouded Avith darker broAAui, the markings forming irregular 
vertical bars, and AA'ith several series of small well seiuiraled pale blue spots. 
A broad dark bar from tlie antero-inferior angle of the orbit to behind the cleft of 
tlie mouth; a similar lint more obscure l)ar along the hinder border of the 
preopercle, and a third I'ather better marked across the chin. Spinous dorsals 
like the back, but the tips of the first four spines and the filaments AAfliite; soft 
dorsal broAvn, shading to lilac marginally, except the two last rays, the tips 
of Avhich are blackish; basally and mesiaily it has a series of translucent spots; 
caudal lilac, Avith many similar spots and a basal dusky band; anal, ventral, 
and pectoral fins lilac, the former with dusky tips to the rays, 
EtymoJogij: — Latin: soni, half; punctatus, spotted. 
Beg. Xo, in the Queensland kluseuni — I, 14/1737. 
Bange : — Prom the Red Sea eastAvard tlu'ough those of India and Malaysia 
to Northern Queensland and the South Sea Islands 
