196 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. VI, July, 1952 
Neoepinnula orientalis 
(Gilchrist and von Bonde) 
Figs. lA, 2A, 5C 
Epinnula orientalis Gilchrist and von Bonde, 
1924: 15, pi. 4, fig. 1; Barnard, 1927: 790; 
Kamohara, 1936^: 18; 1938^: 48, pi. 3, 
fig. 4; 1938^: 20; 1940: 95, fig. 44; 1942: 
108; Smith, 1949: 311, fig. 865. 
MATERIAL DESCRIBED: No. 1970 (the num- 
bers refer to Matsubara’s Fish Collection, in 
which each specimen bears a separate num- 
ber), 143 mm. in standard length (176.5 mm. 
in total length), off Owase, Kumano-Nada, 
January 4-9, 1936; Nos. 4258 and 4259, 129 
and 179 tnm. (159 and 219 mm.), off Owase, 
Kumano-Nada, January, 1937; No. 4430, 
154.5 mm. (185 mm.), off Owase, Kumano- 
Nada, April, 1937; No. 5490, 122.5 mm. 
(151 mm.), off Choshi, Chiba Prefecture, 
November 20-26, 1937; No. 6235, 121.5 mm. 
(151 mm.), off Heta, Suruga Bay, March 26, 
1939. 
Since the publication of Gilchrist and von 
Bonde’s description and figure of this rare 
fish in 1924, there was no record other than 
from South Africa until 1936, when Kamo- 
hara described it from the vicinity of Kochi, 
Japan. It is apparently known only from these 
two localities. 
D. XVI, I, 19-20; A. Ill, 19-20; P. 13-14; 
V. I, 5; Br. 7. Head 3.21 to 3.44 in body 
length; depth 3-92 to 4.21. Snout 2.64 to 2.92 
in head; eye 4.75 to 6.12; interorbital space 
3.63 to 4.06; upper jaw 2.01 to 2.26; depth of 
caudal peduncle 4.00 to 4.75; pectoral 1.87 to 
2.53; ventral 2.38 to 3.25; longest (4th) 
dorsal spine 3.30 to 4.00; longest (3rd) soft 
dorsal ray 2.74 to 4.22; caudal 1.17 to 1.41. 
Body fusiform, rather stout and strongly 
compressed; depth about equal to length of 
head behind anterior nostril. Jaws rather ob- 
tuse, lower projecting beyond upper when 
mouth is closed. Mouth large, maxillary ex- 
posed, about 3 times as broad as least infra- 
orbital width, extending to below anterior 
edge of pupil or approximately to below 
middle of eye. Three or 4 fangs on upper jaw 
near tip of snout, of which 2 or 3 are im- 
movable and the others depressible; lateral 
teeth on jaws conical and widely spaced, 
those of lower jaw much larger than those of 
upper; a pair of canines near the symphysis of 
lower jaw, exposed outside the closed mouth; 
1 to 3 teeth on each posterior extremity of 
lateral edges of vomer; a single series of small 
conical teeth on palatines. Interorbital flattish 
in small specimens, but slightly convex in 
larger ones, always much wider than eye. 
Upper lateral line gently elevated upward 
and backward to below base of second or 
third dorsal spine, then passing directly back- 
ward near dorsal base and ending below upper 
anterior end of base of caudal fin; lower one 
running downward and slightly backward to 
immediately below lower edge of base of 
pectoral, then turning downward and slightly 
forward, and finally extending near lower con- 
tour of body to base of middle caudal ray. 
Head and body, except maxillaries, lower lip, 
throat, and branchiostegal membrane, wholly 
covered with small scales. 
Base of spinous part of dorsal about twice 
as long as that of soft part; soft dorsal about 
as large as anal fin, which is preceded by 3 
small spines. Pectoral slightly longer than 
ventral, extending to below sixth dorsal 
spine; ventral inserted a little behind middle 
of pectoral. 
Gill rakers distinctive (Fig. 2A): small, 
mostly hidden under the skin; each usually 
with a single cusp and a vertically elongated 
basal plate, and armed with many small 
spines; gill raker at angle T-shaped with more 
Fig. 2. Outer face of first gill arch in four species of Gempylidae. Bony part of gill arch is black. Ai, A 2 , and 
A3, Neoepinnula orientalis, showing, respectively, right side of region of angle, middle part of lower branch, and 
inner side of a raker at angle (No. 4259); Bi and B 2 , Promethichthys prometheus, showing, respectively, right side 
of region of angle and middle part of lower branch (No. 4101); Ci and C 2 , Mimasea taeniosoma, showing, re- 
spectively, left side of region of angle and middle part of lower branch (No. 4114); Di and D 2 , Gempylus serpens, 
showing, respectively, left side of region of angle and middle part of lower branch (No. 57). Drawn by authors. 
