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PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. VI, July, 1952 
Fig. 9. Outer face of first gill arch in Rexea solandri, showing size variation of gill raker at angle of arch and o. 
rakers at middle part of lower branch. (Bony part of gill arch is black.) Ai and A 2 , right side, No. 1185, 100.5 mm. 
in standard length, provided with long ventral spine; Bi and B 2 , right side. No. 2124, 242 mm. in standard length, 
the largest one bearing ventral spine; Ci and C 2 , left side. No. 2185, measuring 269 mm. in standard length, 
lacking the ventral spine. Drawn by authors. 
the Spine becomes shorter with the growth of 
the fish, finally being hidden entirely under 
the skin. Gempylus solandri and Thyrsites prome- 
theoides are described as having the body either 
moderately deep or rather slender (according 
to Gunther, I860: 352, the depth in total 
length is 5V3 in the former and iVi to IVa in 
the latter) and as having a single ventral spine, 
as in our younger specimens, whereas Jor- 
danidia raptoria is said to have the body 
moderately deep (depth 5.0 in body length) 
and the ventral spine entirely lacking, as in 
our larger specimens. Whitley’s (1929: pk 33, 
fig. 2) illustration of Rexea solandri shows the 
body very deep (depth about 4.4) and the 
ventral absent, whereas McCulloch’s (1934: 
pi. 34, fig. 300^) figure of Jordanidia solandri 
shows the body rather slender (depth about 
5.4 in body length) and the ventral spine 
present. 
McCulloch (1915: 151) distinguished Jor- 
danidia solandri from J. raptoria by its smaller 
eye and broader interorbital. However, in 
comparing our specimens with the descrip- 
tion of Rexea furcifera Waite (I9II: 49), which 
has been understood by Australian ichthy- 
ologists to be a synonym of Rexea solandri or 
Jordanidia solandri, we fail to confirm these 
