A. REVIEW OF THE GYMNODONT FISHES OF JAPAN.
Rv David Stakh Jordan .md John Ottkrbein Snyder,Of the Ldand Stanford Junior University.
In the present paper is given an account of the CrA^mnodont fishes(Tetraodontidte, Tropodichthj^idffi, Diodontidtp, Triodontidse, and Mol-ida?) known from the waters of Japan. The paper is based on thecollections made b}' the writers in Japan in 1900 under the auspices ofthe Hopkins Laboratory of Leland Stanford Junior University, andon the collections contained in the United States National jNIuseum.A series of duplicates is in the United States National Museimi. Theaccompanying drawings are the work of Miss Lydia M. Hart and
:\ir. A. H. Baldwin. MEASUREMENTS.The measurements given in this paper, except those quoted fromother authors, were made as follows: Length of caudal peduncle,measured from end of base of anal to middle of base of caudal ; lengthof head, from tip of snout to upper edge of gill opening; width ofinterorbital space, measured on the bony septum between the eyes;length of snout, from tip of snout to orbit; diameter of eye, longi-tudinal diameter of exposed iris; in numbering the dorsal and analrays the short anterior rays are included.Suborder GYMNODO\TES.Plectognaths without a spinous dorsal, with the bod}" short andwith the bell}' inliatalile; the scales typically spiniform, with root-likeinsertions, and with the jaws enveloped in an enamel-like covering,without distinct teeth. This group contains degraded Plectognaths,which have lost the scales, spinous dorsal, and distinct teeth. In theextreme forms the pelvis, i-ibs, and caudal vertebri>? are also lost, thespecies depending on their dermal armature, leathery skin, or inHat-able belly for protection from enemies, while little power of activemovement remains, {yvixvos^ naked; odovg^ tooth.)Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. XXIV? No. 1254. 229
230 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.xxiv.
a. Pelvis very long, supporting the fan-shaped ventral area; upper jaw divided by amedian suture; lower jaw undivided; skin covered with rough plates; nostrilsas usual among fishes Triopontid.k I.aa. Pelvis and ril^s obsolete.Ik Caudal region normally developed, with a caudal peduncle.c. Upper and lower jaw each divided by a median suture; maxillaries anddentaries each curved outward behind the premaxillaries; ethmoid more orless projecting in front of frontals; postfrontals extending outward at leastas far as frontals.d. Vertebrae comparatively few, 15 to 21 in number; dorsal and anal short, of7 to 15 rays.
e. Back broadly rounded; frontal bones articulated with the supraoccipital,postfrontals confined to the sides; ethmoid short, narrow, little promi-nent to view above; vertebrte few; head broad; nostrils various.Tetkaouontid.f. II.ee. Back more or less sharply ridged; frontal bones separated from thesupraoccipital by the postfrontals, which meet in the middle; ethmoidprominent above, enlarged and narrowed forward; snout pointed;dorsal and anal very short; nostrils obsolete or very small.TROPIDICHTHYIDyE III.cc. Upper and lower jaw each undivided, the premaxillary and dentary bonescoossified into sutureless arches; maxillaries extended laterally behind;body covered with stout, rooted spines DioDONTiniE IV.hh. Caudal region of body aborted, the body truncated behind the dorsal andanal; jaws each without median suture Molid.e V.Family I. TRIODONTID^.Body covered with small, bony, scale-like, partly imbricated laminse.Abdomen dilatable into a very large compressed pendant sac, keptexpanded by a very long pelvic bone; lower par-t of sac merely a flapof skin, into which the air does not penetrate. Skeleton ossified, theribs well developed. Dorsal and anal short. Tail long, ending in amany-rayed forked fin. Upper jaw divided by a median suture; lowerentire. Nostrils normal, with two openings on each side.A single known species, representing a transition from the ordinaryfishes to the Gymnodont type.
1. TRIODON Reinwardt.Triodon Reinwardt, Cuvier, Rcgne Anim., 3d ed., 1829, p. 588 {hursnrius)
.
(Characters of the genus indicated above.)[rpsh, three; odoi>g^ tooth.)
I. TRIODON BURSARIUS Reinwardt.Triodon bursarius Reinwardt, Cuvier, Regne Animal, 2d ed., 1829, p. 588,Sumatra.
?
Bleeker, Atlas Gymnodontes, 1867, j). 84, pi. x, fig, 1, Amboyna,Harouka, Banda.
?
Gunther, Cat. Fish., VIII, 1870, p. 270, Mauritius, India.Triodon macropteruf! Lesson, Voy. Coquille, 1830, p. 103, pi. iv, Mauritius.Head, 3f ; depth, with sac, 3f; depth, without sac, 3i; dorsal rays 10;anal rays 0. Eye large, 4 in head; mouth rather large, its cleft aslong as eve. Color brown, with a large irregular ocellated black spot
NO. 1254. G YMNODONT FISHES OF JAPAN?JORDAN ANT) SN 3'DFJl. 231on side of bodj^ at base of ventral sac and between pectoral and anal,(Bleeker.)East Indies, not common; rarely north to Japan; a specimen fromMisaki in the Imperial University' of Tokyo. Also recorded fromJapan by Dr. S. Matsnbara. (^M7'6"ar/W, purse-like.)Family II. TETRAODONTID^.PUFFERS.Body oblong or elongate, usually little compressed, sometimes verybroad; head and snout broad; belly capaV)le of great inflation; skinscaleless, usually more or less prickly, the spines or prickles usuallyweak and movable, not rooted; rarely the skin is armed with bonyscutes forming a sort of carapace; each jaw confluent, forming a sortof beak, which in each jaw is divided by a median suture; maxillariescurved outward behind the premaxillaries; lips full; nostrils various.Spinous dorsal and ventral fins wanting, the fins composed of softra3'S only; dorsal fin posterior, opposite and similar to anal; caudaltin distinct; no ventral fins, the pelvic bone undeveloped; no ribs;pectoral fins short and broad, the upper rays longest; caudal fin andcaudal vertebr<? normally developed. Medifrontals articulated with thesupraoccipital, the postfrontals confined to the sides, the ethmoid moreor less projecting in front of frontals; postfrontals extending outwardas far as frontals; prosethmoid short and narrow, little prominent toview above; vertebrae few, 7 or S + 9 to 13. Gill openings small,placed close in front of pectorals; air bladder present. Fishes ofsluggish movements, inhabiting warm seas, noted for their habit oftilling the stomach with air. When disturbed they then float on thesurface, belly upward. They are not much used as food, even inJapan, the flesh ))eing ill-flavored and sometimes reputed poisonous.
a. Frontal bones expanded sidewise and forming the lateral roofs of the orbits, thepostfrontals limited to the posterior portions. Species chiefly marine.b. Nostril on each side with 2 distinct openings nsually in a low tube orpapilla; frontal region longer than broad Spheroides, 2.hh. Nostril on each side with a bifid tentacle without distinct opening; frontalregion broader than long; tins rounded Teiraodou, 3.2. SPHEROIDES Lacepede.SWELL-FISHES.Crayracion Klein, Missus 1742 {spengleri; nonbinomial).Les spheroides Lacepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss., II, 1798, p. 1 (French name only;tubercule).Spheroides Dumeril, Zoologie Analytique, 1806, p. 342 {tnhercitlatiis?spengleri,from a drawing showing a front view)
.
Orbidus RAFiNESciUE, Analyse de la Nature, 1815, p. 90 (substitute for Lesspheroides Lacepede )
.
Spha-roides Lacepede, Pillot Edition, Hist. Nat. Poiss., VI, 1831, p. 279{tii,bercidatus=spe)u/leri).
282 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. voI,.^-xIv.Lagocephalus Swainson, Nat. Hist. Class. Fishes, II, 18.39, pp. 194, 328{pennanti^lagocephalns)
.
Clrrhisomus Swainson, Nat. Hist. Class. Fishes, II, 1839, ])p. 194, 328 {gpcngleri).Cheilichthys MtJLLER, Abhandl. Akad. Wiss. Berlin, 1839 (1841), p. 252 {tef<ti(-dineus).PhysogaMer MiJhhER, Abhandl. Akad. Wiss. Berlin, 1839 (1841), p. 252 {hwaris)(name preoccupied).Gaf<trop}t!/siif> MvLhER, Wiegmann's Archiv., IX, 1843, p. 330 {Innaris).Hohtcantlmx Gronow, Syst. Nat., p]d. Gray, 1854, ]). 23 (includes all Tdmndonfidxand Dindontldic); name preoccupied.Anchisormts Kaup MS., Richardson, Voyage Herald, 1854, ])p. 156, 162 {spen-gleri, etc. )
.
Les stenometopi's (Stenometopus) Bibron, Revue de Zoologie, 1855, p. 279 (teMiidi-neus, etc. )Geneion Bibron, Revue de Zoologie, 1855, p. 279 [maculatum).Catophrynchiis Bibron, Revue de Zoologie, 1855, p. 279 (Imirprh).Les j)romecocephales {PromecorepJtalus) Bibron, Revue de Zoologie, 1855, p. 279( argentalus)
.
Apsicephalus Hollarp, Etudes sur les Gynniodontes, 1867, j). 324 {testiidineus,etc.).lAosacoiH GiJNTHER, Cat. Fish., \'III, 1870, p. 297 (cutaneus).Body oblong or elongate; skin variou.sly prickly or smooth, .some-times with cirri. A single, short, simple nasal tube on each side, with2 rather large openings near its tip, the tube sometimes reduced to amere rim. Dorsal and anal lins of 6 to 15 mys each; caudal truncate,rounded, or concave. Vertebrae IS to 21. Frontal bones expandedsidewise and forming the lateral roof of the orbit, the postfrontalslimited to the posterior portions. Species verj^ numerous in warmseas. The group contains 2 or 3 strongly marked subgenera, whichwould be regarded as distinct genera if only extremes were considered.But the transition is very gradual from Lagocephalus., with elongatebody, silvery skin, prominent lateral fold, long falcate dorsal and anal,with forked caudal, to typical Spheroldes^ with short fins and the formof Tetrodon. Most Japanese species belong to the subgenus Lagoce-phalus.{ff(])aip(x^ sphere; eiSog^ resemblance; the genus based on a frontview, in which the fish was represented as spherical.)
a. Lagocephalus. Dorsal and anal each with 12 to 14 rays, the fin usually acute attip; nostril short, scarcely produced as a pajiilla.b. Caudal fin more or less distinctly lunate; dorsal and anal falcate; mucous tul)eson head distinctly developed.c. Lateral fold on sides of body evident.d. Back and belly distinctly prickly, the prickles sometimes embedded in theskin.
e. Back with rather large scattered black spots; sides with a silvery band;gill opening black sceleratus, 2.ee. Back nearly plain gray, without spots; sides silvery; gill opening pale.spadiceus, 3.eee. Back with close-set black dots, coarse or fine; sides not silvery; pricklesvery small, often entirely hidden stictonotus, 4.
NO. 1254. GYMNODONT FISHES OF JAPAN?JORDAN AND SNYDER. 233
(Id. Back and belly without prickles, or very nearly so; color plain brown above,without dark spots; sides silvery; lateral fold very distinct hiermis, 5.cc. Lateral fold obsolete; color i)lain I)rown, a dark blotch behind pectoral; skinwithout prickles ]>orp]iyr('us, 6.hli. Caudal fin subtruncate or rounded; dorsal and anal less falcate; lateral foldusually obscure./. Spots or stripes on body blackish, distinctly darker than the groundcolor, and well defined.
ff. Back and belly with strong prickles; region behind pectoral witha black blotch or biack streaks; form robust; ground colorbrownish, the fins reddish.i. Side of tail without dark horizontal stripes; a large l)lack ocellusbehind pectoral, another at base of dorsal ruhripcx, 7.a. Side of tail with two or three black horizontal stripes; backplain or with dark blotches xantho]>ten(s, 8.gg. Back and belly without prickles; no distinct black l)lotch behindIjectoral or at base of dorsal, the back and sides covered withround black spots; lateral fold evident.j. Caudal fin blackish, without bars or spots.k. Caudal fin rounded; spots on back sparse on a brow^iishground color pardalis, 9.kk. Caudal fin truncate; spots on back close-set on a paleground abbutti, 10.jj. Caudal fin barred, the l)ars formed of black spots on the rays;sides with a gray lateral band and large dark spots andvenniculations above it exascurus, 11.
If'. Spots on body pale, light gray, or white (sometimes forming vermicu-lations about the darker ground color); a large blackish blotchbehind pectoral and another below dorsal.
I. Back and belly distinctly prickly.m. Black blotch behind pectoral connected by an ocellatedblack bar over the back with its fellow . .ocellatm, 12.mm. Black blotch behind pectoral not connected with itsfellow; back with spots and streaks of gray.alboplumbeus, 13.U. Back and belly without jarickles or very nearly so; pectoralblotches not connected.n. Spots on back mostly broader than the interspaces,dull gray in color.0. Pale spots vermiculate, irregular in form; bonyinterorbital broad, 2J in head vermicularis, 14.00. Pale spots rounded in the young, becoming withage pale areas which coalesce about round spotsof the olivaceous ground color; bony interorbitalnarrow, 3^ in head borealis, 15.nn. Spots on back pure white, sharply defined, mostlynarrower than the interspaces niplioblc!^, 16.aa. Dorsal and anal short, rounded in outline, each of 6 to 10 rays; nostrils in aprominent tube; caudal rounded; no lateral fold.p. Spiieroides. Body above and below closelyprickly; back with irregular dark blotches.ricJwl, 17.pp. LiosACCus. Body entirely smooth, back and sideschocolate brown, with irregular scattered blackstreaks and spots chrysops, 18.
234 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. voi,.xxiv.
2. SPHEROIDES SCELERATUS (Forster).GINFUKU (SILVER PUFFER).Tetraodon sceleratus (Forster) Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1788, p. 1444 (Atlantic andPacific oceans).
?
Schneider, Syst. Ichth., 1801, p. 506, fair description afterForster.
?
Gunther, Cat. Fish., VIII, 1870, p. 276, Zanzibar, Ceylon, Madras,Amboyna, Philippines, Formosa, South Australia.
?
Ishikawa, Prel. Cat.,1697, p. 2, Kagoshima.Tretrodon argenteus Lacepede, Ann. Mus. d'Hist. Nat., 1804, p. 211, pi. lviii,fig. 2, New Holland.
?
Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, Poiss., p. 275, pi. cxxi, tig. 2,Nagasaki.
?
Bleeker, Atlas Gymnodontes, p. 64, pi. v, fig. 1, Java, Bali,Singapore, Bangka, Biliton, Borneo, Celebes, Amboyna.Tetrodon. argyropleura Bennett, Proc. Comm. Zool., II, 1832, p. 184.Tetrodon argentatus Blyth, Prodr. Fauna, Zeyl., p. 49, Ceylon.Tetrodon bicolor Brevoort, Exped. Japan, 1856, p. 283, Shimoda.Head 3i; depth 4; dorsal rays 12; anal rays 12. Head and backcovered with line shagreen; abdomen with small, three-rooted spines;side naked. Body very slender, the tail depressed, the lateral folddi.stinct from the chin to the tail; dorsal and anal falcate; caudallunate, with pointed angles; pectoral with its upper angle sharp.Greenish, with round scattered black spots above, not confluent andall smaller than pupil; sides with a distinct silver}^ band, below whichis a brownish band which runs around the chin; a triangular silveryarea before eye; gill opening jet black. Vertebrae 7 + 10 = 17. Length2i feet. (Gunther.)East Indies, north to Japan (Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Shimoda) ; ratherscarce; not seen by us. {Sceleratm, rascall}', the flesh being reputedpoisonous.) 3. SPHEROIDES SPADICEUS (Richardson).SABA-FUKU (MACKEREL PUFFER).Tetrodon lunar'ts'^ Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, 1847, p. 277, pi. cxxii, fig. 1,Nagasaki (probably not of Schneider, 1801).
?
Nystrom, Handl. Svensk.Vet. Ak., 1887, p. 48, Nagasaki.?Ishikavva, Prel. Cat., 1897, p. 1, Boshu,Tokyo.Tetrodon spadicevs Richardson, Voy. Sulphur, Ichth., 1844, p. 123, pi. lviii,figs. 4, 5, Canton.
?
Bleeker, Atlas Ichth. Gymnodontes, p. 64, pi. in, fig.1, Java, Sumatra, Banka, Borneo, Celebes, Amboyna.Tetrodon lunaris var. spadiceus Gunther, Cat. Fish., VIII, 1870, p. 275, Vizaga-patam, Malabar, Borneo, Philippines, China.Head 3i in length; depth 3f ; depth of caudal peduncle 5 in head;eye 4it; snout 2; interorbital space 2^; dorsal vays 12; anal ra3^s 12.Body rather elongate, the caudal peduncle narrow, cylindrical;dorsal contour little elevated; head flat above, the interorbital space
'According to Dr. Bleeker, Spheroides spadiceus is distinguished constantly fromS. lunaris (Schneider) of the East Indies by the longer body, the relatively smallerhead, the smaller ey6s, the rounded and not angular form of the subocular part oflateral line, and by the smoothness of the region behind the tip of the pectoral. Oneof our specimens from Nagasaki has the subooular part of the lateral line evenlyrounded, while the others have it quite angular.
N0.1254. GYMNODONT FISHES OF JAPAN?JOttDAN AND SNYDER. 21^5
,sli<rhtly concave, the distance lietween eyes about equal to twice theirdiameter; snout rather long, about twice the diameter of eye. Nostrilsseparate, not tubular, in a shallow, oval depression, their distanceanterior to eye about equal to half the space between eye and upperedge of gill opening. Teeth pointed in front, their cutting edgesconcave, the groove between upper teeth pronounced, bordered oneach side by a ridge. Gill opening extending a little above base ofpectoral, the inner or secondary Hap completel}^ hidden by the outer.A line of mucous pores extending from the upper, anterior part ofsnout backward below eye, curving upward behind ey^e, passing in abroad curve above the pectoral, bending downward in the region ofthe dorsal, and running along middle of caudal peduncle to base ofcaudal tin; a transverse line extending across nape, connecting thelateral lines and forming the posterior boundary of a quadrangularspace, the upper and anterior boundary lines of which unite to passforward over the eye, then downward just posterior to the nostrilsto join the lateral line; a branch line extending from snout, bendingdownward behind mouth to chin, then running backward along breastand disappearing on belly; each line composed of two rows of minutepapillw. A small but distinct ridge passing along lower side of head,below base of pectoral, curving upward over base of anal and extend-ing along lower part of caudal peduncle to base of caudal tin. Adorsal patch of small pricklej extending backward from nostrils, theposterior border acutely convex in shape, ending at a point a))ove tipsof pectorals; in one specimen a few prickles grow back almost toinsertion of dorsal; throat, breast, and belly with a patch of prickles,larger and farther apart than those above, not extending to the vent.Dorsal and anal somewhat falcate, the latter inserted on a verticalpassing through a point a little anterior to the middle of the former;the dorsal slightly higher than the anal, li in head. Caudal lunate,the upper lobe slightly longer than lower. Edge of pectoral straight.Color gray or faintly mottled above; silver^'- on lateral and ventralparts; tins pale; edges of dorsal and caudal darker. ^Here described from Nagasaki specimens. An example from Tokyohas a brownish spot on upper part of base of pectoral.East Indies, north to Japan; rather common. Our specimens fromTokj^o (2) and from Nagasaki (8). {S_padiceus^ nut-brown.)
4. SPHEROIDES STICTONOTUS (Schlegel).
Tetrodon stictonotus Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, 1847, p. 280, pi. cxxvi, fig. 1,Nagasaki.
?
Gunther, Cat. Fish., VIII, p. 281, Nagasaki.
?
Nystrom, Hand.Svensk. Vet. Ak., 1887, p. 48, Nagasaki.?Ishikawa, Prel. Cat., 1897, p 2,Tokyo.Gasirophi/Kus .<itkirmotus Bleeker, Act. Soc. Indo-Nederl., Japan, IV, p. 30.Head 8| in length; depth -ir^; depth of caudal peduncle H| in head;eye 7i; snout 2i; interorbital space ^|; dorsal rays 16; anal rays 14.
236 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM.Body very long, the head much shorter than the distance betweennape and insertion of dorsal; upper contour of head evenly rounded,the back not much elevated; caudal peduncle somewhat compressed,its depth 3| in head, its length about equal to that of head. Eyerather small, aliout 2f in snout. Interor})ital space slightly convex, thedistance between eyes -ii times their longitudinal diameter. Nostrils
Fig. 1.
?
Spheroides stictonotus (Nagasaki).
separate, located almost transversely on an oval elevation a littlelarger than pupil. Teeth bluntly pointed in front; the cutting edgesconcave, the groove between the teeth scarcely perceptible; ridges oneither side of groove not prominent; upper and lower teeth of aboutthe same width. Inner or secondary flap at gill-opening protruding.Lines of mucous pores on body like those of S. rt/lrijje.s. Lateral
Fig. 2. Spheroides stictonotiis (Hakortate).fold evident, though not very prominent. Skin with small prickles,those on the upper anterior parts completely embedded; snout, sidesof head, chin, upper and lower parts of caudal peduncle, and a narrowarea along side of body naked.Dorsal inserted a little in advance of anterior rays of anal; lioth finsfalcate, of about equal height. If in head, the anterior rays shortened.
NO. 1254. GYMNODONT FISHES OF JAPAN?JORDAN AND SNYDER. 237tho fourth or fifth ray longest. Caudal truncate, the upper and lowerravs slio-htly leng-thened at tips. Posterior edge of pectoral straightor slightly convex; length 2 in head.Color dark slaty gray above, belly white; sides of head closelysanded with bhick points; rest of body almost uniforiiilj" colored,without distinct points; dorsal and caudal black, the tip darkest.Schlegers description and figure of the species is founded on a stuffedskin, which accounts for the prominence of the prickles and the short-ening of the space between the head and the insertion of the dorsal fin.Coasts of Japan; here described from a fine specimen about 480mm. long from Hakodate.Two specimens, about 350 mm, long, from Misaki, agree with theabove description except that they are very finely marbled above.Another of about the same length from Nagasaki is also finely marbled;in some places entirely black, {GriKtog, spotted; vrotog^ back.
5. SPHEROIDES INERMIS (Schlegel).KANABUKU (METAL PUFFER).
Tetrodon inermis Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, 1847, p. 278, pi. cxxii, fig. 2,Shimabara.Head 3|; depth 3; dorsal rays 12; anal rays 12, Body rather elon-gate, the lateral fold distinct; back entirely smooth; belly with smallspines; fins rather falcate; the caudal lunate, with pointed angles.Color olive-green, unmarked; sides and below silvery. (Schlegel.)Southern Japan, once taken at Shimabara in Kiusiu, not seen by us;evidently very close to the American species S. Imvigatus. {mermis^unarmed.) 6. SPHEROIDES PORPHYREUS (Schlegel).NAMERABUKU (SLEEK PUFFER).leirodon porphyreus Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, 1847, p. 282, pi. cxxi, tig. 1,Nagasaki.
?
Gunther, Cat. Fish., VIII, 1870, p. 287 (after Schlegel).
?
Nystrom, Handl. K. Svensk. Vet. Akad., 1887, p. 48, Nagasaki.Head 2f; depth 3; dorsal rays 11; anal rays 12, Body rather stout,the tail shortish, the distance from-vent to base of caudal less thanhalf the distance to tip of snout; lateral fold wanting or reduced to atrace; skin everywhere smooth, the back with scattered papillre; finsfalcate, the caudal lunate, the anal li in head. Color purplish brownabove, white below^; a large blackish blotch behind pectoral; papillaepale. (Schlegel.)Coast of Kiusiu; not seen by us. Said to be taken at Nagasaki inwinter. [Ttop^vpeog, purple.)
238 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSFAJM. vol.xxiv.
7. SPHEROIDES RUBRIPES (Schlegel)
.
MABUKU (TRUE PUFFER), TORABUKU (TIGER PUFFER), YANAdlBUKU(WILLOW PUFFER).Ttirodon rtihrijx's Schlegkl, Fauna Japoniea, 1847, p. 283, pi. cxxiii, fig. 1,Nagasaki.
?
Gunther, Cat. Fish., VIII, 1870, p. 279, Nagasaki.
?
Nystrom,Handl. Svensk. Vet. Ak., 1887, p. 48, Nagasaki.?Ishikawa, Prel. Cat., 1897,p. 2, Rikiiizen, Kaga.Gadrophysus rubripes Bleeker, Act. Soc. Indo-Nederl., Japan, VI, p. 68.Lacjocephalus rubripes Jordan and Snyder, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. , 1900, p. 360,Tokyo.Head 3 in length; depth 3i; depth of caudal peduncle 3| in head;eye 8; snout 2|; interorbital space 2f ; dorsal rays 14; anal rays 13.Body rather stout, the caudal peduncle not very slender, compressedlaterally. Head large, nearly square, in transverse outline, its lengthalmost equal to distance between head and insertion of dorsal; inter-orbital space broad, fiat. Eye small, 3^ in snout. Nostrils sepa-rate, located almost transversel}^ in an oval elevation; about an eye'sdiameter from eye. Teeth rather pointed anteriorly, the cutting edgeconcave; groove between the upper ones well defined, the ridgesprominent; lower teeth wider than the upper ones. Inner flap of gillopening exposed.Latter fold of ])ody rather distinct posteriorly. A line of nnicouspores extends from a point on the snout backward, below and closeto the eye, bends upward behind the eye to a point above the gill-opening, from which point a branch crosses the occiput to meet the lineof the opposite side; thence backward along the upper part of the sideof body and caudal peduncle and slopes downward to middle of base ofcaudal fin; from a point behind eye a branch runs downward, disap-pearing on the throat; from behind the origin of this branch a lineextends upward, bending forward above the eye and downward pos-terior to the nostril, joining the line first mentioned; no inclosedquadrangular space behind eye; snout with a transverse line above; aline passes backward from chin on each side and disappears on thebreast; an indistinct line extends from below pectoral backward abovebase of anal to caudal tin. Back with rather small prickles from inter-orbital space to near insertion of dorsal fin; under parts with slightlylarger prickles from just behind chin to vent; other parts of head andbody naked.Dorsal and anal rather pointed, not falcate, both of about the sameheight, 2 in head; dorsal inserted a little in advance of anal. Caudaltruncate, If in head. Pectoral convex posteriorly, about 3 in head.Color dark brown above, white or yellowish below; a large blackocellated blotch behind the pectoral; another at base of dorsal, extending on the fin; two or three smaller blotches faintly ocellate behindthe pectoral blotch; caudal blackish; lower fins orange in life; no hori-zontal stripes on sides of body.
N0.12M. GYMNODONT FISHES OF JAl'AN?JORDAN AND SNYDER. 239Described from a .specimen about 350 mm. long, collected at Waka-noura. Younger examples about 200 nmi, long, have small pale spotson the back and have the post-pectoral row of fainth^ ocellate spotsabsent; otherwise they are colored as the adult, with the exceptionthat the large ocellate spot behind pectoral is more conspicuous.Young of 70 or 80 mm. length, gra}', with five dark cross bandsabove, besides dark clouds; -black blotches obscure.Length 450 to 500 mm. Coast of southern Japan: not rare. Ourfour specimens from Tok\'^o and AYakanoura. It is one of the moststrongly marked species. {riihei\ red; />(?, foot.)
8. SPHEROIDES XANTHOPTERUS (Schlegel).Telrodon ranthopterus Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, 1847, p. 284, pi. cxxv, fig. 1,Nagasaki.
?
Nystrom, Handl. Svensk. Vet. Akad., 1887, p. 48, Nagasaki.Gastruphysus xantJiopterns Bleeker, Act. Sue. Indo-Nederl., Ja])an, 1852, VI,p. 68.Head 3f in length; depth 3^; dorsal rays 16; anal ra} s 13.Length of head less than distance between head and insertion ofdor.sal; interorbital space broad, If in head. Teeth bluntly pointedbefore, the cutting edge concave; groove between teeth prominent, theridge on either side of groove low. Back prickl}- from nostrils todorsal tin: abdomen with rather long, sharp prickles: sides and tailsmooth. Lateral fold obscure. Dorsal and anal rather high and fal-cate. Caudal moderately lunate.Color bluish; sides silver}^, the back with cro.ss .shades or bands; 3or 4 o])lique streaks behind pectorals, besides some roundish blotches;sides of body and tail with 3 horizontal stripes, the upper fading intothe color of the back, the stripes oblique at the anterior end. Base ofdor.sal and pectorals dusky; fins yellow. The dark markings behindthe pectorals vary, even in the same tish.Length 400 or 500 mm. Southern Japan; rare. A single stuffedspecimen obtained by us at Nagasaki.It is regarded by Dr. Giinther as a variation of S. rubri^jes, but thecoloration is markedly different and the fins'are higher and more acute.{SavOos^ yellow; Ttrepov, fin.)
g. SPHEROIDES PARDALIS (Schlegel).Tetrudon jxirdalis Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, p. 282, pi. cxxi, fig. 2, Nagasaki.
?
GtJxTHER, Cat. Fish., VIII, 1870, p. 281, Nagasaki.
?
Nystrom, Handl. Svensk.Vet. Ak., 1887, p. 48, Nagasaki.
?
Jordan and Snyder, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus.,1900, p. ;360, Tokyo.Head 3 in length; depth 8^; depth of caudal peduncle 3i in head:e3'e 5^; snout, 2f ; interorbital space 2f; dorsal rays 10 or 11; analrays 8 or 9.Body rather robust; caudal peduncle conical, its length 1^ in head;length of head .somewhat less than distance between gill-opening and
240 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. VOL. XXIV.insertion of dorsal. Eye 2 in snout; interorbital space concave. Nos-trils separate, placed laterally in an oval elevation. Teeth bluntlypointed in front, the cutting edges slightly concave; suture without adeep groove, ridges on either side not prominent. Inner fold of gill-opening slightly exposed.Lateral fold perceptible onl}^ posteriorly, where it is rather obscure.Lines of mucous pores like those of S. ruhrijyes,' skin soft, withoutjn-ickles, almost entirely covered with small elevations resembling-embedded scales. Fins low, about 2J- in head, not falcate, the poste-rior edges convex. Caudal If in head, rounded posteriorly. Pectoralshort, 2i in head.Color brownish, rather dark; back and sides covered with round,blackish spots, somewhat smaller than the pupil; the interspaces notso wide as the spots; no large black spot above tip of pectoral or atbase of dorsal. Fins dull orange; dorsal dusky; caudal blackish.Coasts of Japan, rather common, reaching a length of about 380mm. It varies somewhat in markings, but is easily distinguishedfrom related species by the black spots. Our specimens are fromTokyo, Misaki, Matsushima, Onomichi, and Nagasaki. {napdaXig^leopard.)
lo. SPHEROIDES ABBOTTI Jordan and Snyder, new species.Head 2f in length; depth 4; depth of caudal peduncle 4 in head; eye6; snout 2|^; interorbital space 2^; dorsal rays 13; anal rays 12.Body rather broad, robust, tapering posteriorly to the small, cylin-drical, caudal peduncle, which is a])out equal in length to head; length
Fig. 3.?Spheroides abbotti.of head considerably less than distance between gill-opening and inser-tion of dorsal; head nearly square in cross section; eye small, abouthalf way between tip of snout and gill-opening; interorbital spacebroad, flat; distance between eyes about 3i times their diameter; jawsequal; teeth with scarcely perceptible ridges in front, the suture with-out a deep groove; not pointed anteriorly, the cutting edges almost
NO. 1254. GYMNODONT FISHES OF JAPAN?JORDAN AND SNYDER. 241
.straight: inner flap at gill-opening* equal in length to the outer, pro-trudnig a little; no.strils .separate, in an oval elevation.Lateral fold })re,sent. A line of nuicoas pores extending from apoint behind the mouth backward, below, and close to the eye, passingin a broad curve above the pectoral, bending downward and runningto the middle of base of caudal; a branch passing over nape just abovegill-opening; another leaving the lateral line behind the eye, goingdownward and disappearing on the throat; a third, having its originimmediately ]?ehind the latter, going upward and forward, passingdownward close behind the nostrils, and joining the lateral line; abranch crossing the snout above; a line extending along side of body,below lateral fold, from a point below tip of pectoral to base of caudal;no inclosed quadrangular space behind e3^e. Skin smooth.Dorsal and anal tins pointed, the edges straight or slightly concave;of about equal height; If in head. Caudal 1| in head, subtruncate,the upper lobe slightly pointed, the lower somewhat rounded. Pec-toral -2.^ in head; of 13 rays.Color light gray, abruptly white below; back covered with close-setblack spots mostly smaller than the pupil and broader than the inter-spaces which form reticulations around them; numerous small spotsbelow the eye; spots largest on upper part of tail, some of them con-fluent; spots on upper part and below Ijase of dorsal mostly confluent,forming elongate blotches. Caudal dusky posteriorly; edged aboveand below with pale; other fins grayish.Tokyo Bay. Known from one specimen about 325 mm. long. TypeNo. 6523, Leland Stanford Junior University Museum.It is distinguished from S.pardalis by the smaller, closer set spots,the general gray coloration, and the more concave caudal. FromS. sficfonotxs it difi^ers in color, in having smooth skin, less falcatefins, and fewer dor.sal and anal rays. (Named for James FrancisAbbott, of Hachiman. fJapan, formerly of Leland Stanford JuniorUniversity, in recognition of his studies of Japanese animals.)
II. SPHEROIDES EXASCURUS Jordan and Snyder, new species.Head 3^ in length, depth 1^; depth of caudal peduncle 3^ in head;eye 1; snout 2f ; interorbital space 2^; dorsal rays 12; anal rays 12.Body moderateh' elongate, not broadened anteriorly; caudal pedun-cle not compressed, its length slightly less than that of head; lengthof head much less than distance between gill opening and insertion ofdorsal. Eye large, 1^ in snout. Interorbital .space concave; distancebetween e3'es a little more than twice their diameter. Nostrils separate,in an oval elevation. Teeth bluntly pointed anteriorly, the cuttingedges concave, the suture without a deep groove; ridges on either sideof groove scarcely perceptible. Lower jaw projecting beyond theupper. Proc. N. M. vol. xxiv?01 16
242 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.xxiv.Skin smooth ; a few small, deeply imbedded prickles on the breastand belly. Lines of mucous pores distinct; the lateral line extendingfrom a point behind the mouth backward below and close to the eye,passing in a broad curve above the pectoral, bending downward andrunning to the middle of base of caudal; a branch passing over napejust above gill opening; another leaving the lateral line at a pointclose behind eye, going downward and disappearing on the throat; athird having its origin immediatel}^ before the latter, going upwardand forward, passing downward close behind the nostrils and joiningthe lateral line; no inclosed quadrangular space behind eye; a branchcrossing the snout above; a line originating near the angle of mouth,extending downward along the chin; curving backward along throatand bending upward to near base of pectoral; another beginningbelow and a little before the end of the latter, running backward,curving upward over anal, and extending to base of caudal.Fins high, the dorsal pointed, its posterior edge straight, the longest
Pig. 4.
?
Spheroides exascurus.rays li in head; anal similar in shape, slightly higher than dorsal.Caudal subtruncate, somewhat rounded posteriorly. Pectoral about2i in head; of 14 rays.Dark gray abo>e, the color ending abruptly at the lateral fold; bellywhite; back blackish, with obscure grayish vermiculations; sides withvery distinct, gray reticulations around irregular black spots, some ofwhich are as large as pupil; sides of head very distinctly marked; alarge black spot on ])ase of pectoral; no distinct black ])lotch behindpectoral or below dorsal; dorsal with dark clouds; caudal with its raysdistinctly spotted and reticulated like sides of bod}'; gra}' area of sidesextending below the dark spots.Misaki; described from a fine specimen about 200 mm. long. TypeNo. 6524, Leland Stanford Junior University Museum. The speciesis related to S. ahhottl^ but differs from that and all others in its pecul-iar markings and especially in the extension of the spots and streakson the caudal fin.{iB>aaKeoo^ to adorn; ovpd, tail.)
NO. 1254. GYMNODONT FISHES OF JAPAN?JORDAN AND SNYDER. 243
12. SPHEROIDES OCELLATUS (Osbeck).Tetrodon ocellatus Osbeck, Iter Chinensi.s, 1757, p. 226; English ed. I, p. 364; II,p. 331, Canton.
?
Linn^us, Syst. Nat, 12th ed., p. 411, after Osbeck.
?
Rich-ardson, Voyage Sulphur, 1843, p. 120, pi. lviii, figs. 1, 2; Canton, Japan.
?
GtJNTHER, Cat. Fish., VIII, 1870, p. 279, China.Head 3; depth 3. D. about 14; A. 14. Body rather robust, cov-ered with minute spines from near nostrils to dorsal fin; abdomenentirely cov^ered with similar spines, sides naked; dorsal and anal low,slightly falcate; lateral ridge obscure; caudal truncate; upper teethwithout ridge in front; olivaceous, sides silvery, young with roundpale spots; a large black spot behind pectoral on each side, this con-nected with its fellow b}^ a black cross band over the back; this bandand the spots edged all around by white; a black, white-edged blotchat base of dorsal. Length about a foot. (Giinther); (Richardson).Coasts of China, mentioned b}" Richardson as from Japan, where itis probably' rare; not seen by us. Common about Canton. {Ocellat-m,ocellate.)
13. SPHEROIDES ALBOPLUMBEUS (Richardson).XAGOYABUKU (XAGOYA PUFFER); KOMONBUKU (SMALL MARBLEDPUFFER); SHIWOSAIBUKU (ESTUARY PUFFJER).Tetraodon alhoplumbeus Rich.vrdson, Voy. Sulphur, Ichth., 1S44, p. 121, pi. lviii,figs. 6, 7, Canton; Ichth. China, p. 199, Canton.
?
Bleeker, Atlas Gymno-dontes, p. 62, pi. i, fig. 1, Sumatra, Borneo, Java.Gastrophysus alboplumbeus Bleeker, Nat. Tydskr. Nederl. Ind., VII, p. 104.Lagocephalus alboplumbeus Jordan and Snyder, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. , 1900, p. 360,Tokyo.Tetrodon oblongus var. alboplumbeus GtJNTHER, Cat. Fish., VIII., p. 278, Sumatra,China, Japan.
?
Ishikawa, Prel. Cat., 1897, p. 2, Izu, Riukiu, Kiusiu, Tokyo.Tetrodon parilonofus Sciilecjel, Fauna Jap., 1847, p. 279, pi. cxxvi, fig. 2, Nagasaki.Tetrodon niveatus Brevoort, Japan. Fish., 1856, p. 284, Shimoda.f Tetrodon hartlandi Bianconi, Mem. Accad. Bologna, VI, p. 146, pi. 11, fig. 1,Mozambique.f Gastrophysus niicrophthalrnus Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, XXIX, 1867, p. 174,Sifang.Head 3i in length, depth 3|; depth of caudal peduncle 3f in head;eye of; snout ^i; interorbital space 3; dorsal rays 12; anal ra3^s 11.Body rather elongate, the dorsal contour little elevated; caudalpeduncle not compressed, its length li in head; length of head muchless than distance between gill opening and base of caudal. Eye 2^ insnout; interorbital space broad. Hat. Nostrils in elevated, oblong,papilla?, the openings lateral. Teeth scarcely pointed before, thecutting edges somewhat concave; suture without groove; no verticalridges on either .?side of suture. Inner flap at gill opening exposed;width of gill opening equal to base of pectoral.Lateral fold prominent. Lines of mucous pores as described in
aS'. abbottl^ with the addition of one extending from chin backward and
244 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.xxiv.upward to near base of pectoral. Skin of back and belly covered withprickles; the two areas confluent both before and behind pectorals.Color very much as in S. vermicularis; grayish black above withnumerous round, pale spots which are larger, more confluent, and moreirregular on sides, none of them sharply defined or stellate, most ofthem broader than the interspaces; a dark blotch behind pectoral;another at base of dorsal; the dark blotches more apparent on youngindividuals; caudal dusky toward tip; other fins more or less dusky.Coasts of Japan, especially southward, generally common. Ourspecimens are all small, none over 160 mm. in length. They are fromAomori, Tokyo, Wakanoura, Onomichi, and Tsuruga.Except for the prickly back and sides, this species is scarcelydifi^erent from Sjjheroldes vennicularis. Our specimens representTetraodon jjmcilonotlis Schlegel, which seems to be identical with theChinese species called 8. alhoplumbeus. Spheroides oblongus of theEast Indies is different in color from any of these, Tetrodon niveatusfrom Shimoda with "many small blotches of bluish white" must bethe present species rather than aS. nlpliobleH^ which has small stellatespots of pure white.{Alhwi^ white; j^l/umheim^ lead color.)
14. SPHEROIDES VERMICULARIS (Schlegel).MABUKU (TRUE PUFFER). SHIWOSAIBUKU (ESTUARY PUFFER).
Stachelloser AufUaser aus Nagasaki Krusenstekn, Reise, Atlas, pi. li, fig. 1.Tetrodon vermicularis Schlegel, Fauna .Taponica, 1847, p. 278, pi. cxxiv, fig. 1.Nagasaki.
?
Gunther, Cat. Fish., VIII, 1870,p.280, after Schlegel.
?
Ishikawa,Prel. Cat., 1897, p. 2, Esashi, Tokyo, Boshu.Gastrophysus vermicularis Bleeker, Verh. Bat. Gen., Japan, XXV, p. 125.Head, 3i in length; depth 3^; depth of caudal peduncle 3| in head;eye 5i; snout 2f ; interorbital space 2|; dorsal rays 12; anal rays 12.Bod}^ somewhat elongate, the caudal peduncle not compressed, itslength 1^ in head; length of head considerably less than distancebetween gill opening and insertion of dorsal fin. Eye 2^ in head;interorbital space flat. Nostrils in an oblong elevation, not tubular.Teeth scarcely pointed anteriorl}^, the cutting edges concave; no con-spicuous depression along suture, and no vertical ridge on either side.Width of gill opening equal to that of base of pectoral, the inner flapexposed somewhat.Lateral fold well developed. Lines of mucous pores not very distinct,arranged as in S. ahhottl. Skin smooth.Dorsal and anal If in head, pointed; the anal somewhat falcate.Caudal truncate If in head. Pectoral 2 in head, the upper angle ratheracute, the lower rounded.
N0.1254. GYMNODONT FISHES Of JAPAN?JORDAJ^ AND SNYDER. 245Color dark, with rounded or oblong irregular bluish white spotsa])ovo, which are confluent along- sides into larger, elongate spots andvermiculations which are smaller on head and middle of back; a largedark blotch behind pectoral; traces of a dusky spot below dorsal;caudal dusky posteriorly; other lins with a little dusky; the anal oftenwithout dark color. The ground color is sometimes gray; in othercases almost black. There are some variations in amount of palemarkings.Southern Japan, rather common. Known from the other entirelysmooth species by the vaguely defined vermiculate pale spots, whichare larger along the sides.Here described from a specimen from Kobe; numerous others arefrom Tokyo, Misaki, Tsuruga, and Nagasaki. The species seems toreach a small size only, and none show any signs of prickles.{Vermicidaris^ with worm tracks.)
15. SPHEROIDES BOREALIS Jordan and Snyder, new species.Head 3^ in length; depth 4i; depth of caudal peduncle 4^ in head;eye 5^; snout 2i; interorbital space 8f, dorsal raj's 13; anal vay^i 11.
FlO. 5.?SPHEROIDES BOREALIS.Body moderately elongate, the dorsal contour little elevated; thecaudal peduncle narrow, not compressed, its length contained aboutli in head. Length of head much less than space between gill-openingand insertion of dorsal; interorbital space slightl}^ convex. Ej'^e 2f insnout. Nostrils located in an oval elevation. Jaws equal. Teeth notpointed anteriorh", the cutting edges straight; suture between teethwithout deep groove, the vertical ridges on either side of sutureevident though not prominent. Gill opening not quite so wide as baseof pectoral, the inner flap exposed along its edge. Lateral foldpresent. Skin without prickles. Lines of mucous pores indistinct;lateral line running from snout backward below eye, curving upwardover the pectoral, passing downward and backward to base of caudalfin; a branch passing over the nape above gill openings; a branch pass-
246 PROCEEDIN'GS OP TItE NATIONAL MUSEUM. Vol. XXIV.ing from behind e3^e, upward and forward, curving downward betweennostril and eye, and joining the lateral line; another branch, havingits origin posterior to the eye, coinciding with the latter, passing down-ward and disappearing on the throat; a branch passing over the snoutjust anterior to the nostrils; a line extending downward and backwardfrom chin to a point near base of pectoral;" another, having its originbelow and a little anterior to the latter, running l)ackward belowlateral fold to base of caudal.Dorsal and anal pointed, the latter slightly falcate, the height a])outIf in head. Caudal truncate, its length 1^ in head. Pectoral slightlyrounded posteriorly, 2| in head, the num])er of rays 14.Color dark brown above, with faint, rounded, pale spots, sometimesconfluent in vermiculations, around darker spots, pale spots, those onback a little smaller than those on sides, none of the spots white andnone sharply deflned. A round jet-black spot, edged with pale abovetip of pectoral, this well defined and larger than eye, not meeting itsfellow across the back; a large black blotch on and below base of dorsal;dorsal and caudal largely dusky toward tip; pectoral and anal pale.Here described from a specimen about 180 mm. long, from Mororan,Hokkaido. Type No. 6525, Leland Stanford Junior UniversityMuseum.This species is ver}^ close to Spheroides vermicularis, but the bodyis stouter, the bony interorbital area narrower, and the spots aremore distinctly rounded, when vermiculate surrounding darker spotsof the ground color. It is extremely abundant in northern Japan.Our ver}^ many specimens, none more than 6 inches long, are fromOtaru, Mororan, Hakodate, Aomori, Same-Minato, and Matsushima.{Borealis^ northern.)Measurements of SpheroUles horealis.
Length in millimetersDepth expressed in hundredths of length .Depth ol' eandal peii uncleLengtli of eiiiiilal peduncleLength <il headWidth I if interorbital spaceLength of snoutDiameter of orbitDistance from snout to dorsal flnHeight of longest dorsal raysHeight of longest anal rays .'Length of caudal finNumber of rays in dorsal finNumber of rays in anal fln
Mororan,
N0.1254. GYMNODONT FISHES OF JAPAN?JORDAN AND SNYDER. 247Body rather robust, almost as wide as deep; caudal peduncle conical,not compressed, its length If in head. Head much shorter than dis-tance between gill opening and insertion of dorsal. Eye about Ih; insnout; interorbital area flat, the space between eyes 2^ times theirdiameter. Nostrils in low, oblong, elevations. Teeth obtusely pointed,the cutting edges concave; sutures between teeth without groove,the elevations on either side scarcely noticeable; width of gill-openingsomewhat less than that of base of pectoral, the edge of inner flapexposed.Small prickles on nape, anterior part of back, and on lielly. the skinelsewhere smooth. Lateral fold rather prominent posteriori}-. Linesof mucous pores rather distinct; arranged as in S. horeaUs.Dorsal and anal fins rounded, their height 2 in head. Caudal convexposteriorly; its length li in head. Pectoral 2^ in head, its posterioredge convex; number of rays, l-t.
Fig. 6.?Sphekoides niphobf-es.Color dark grayish, everywhere above covered with sharply definedwhite stellate spots; nearly all round, narrower than their interspaces,and not enlarged or confluent along sides; a distinct black blotch abovepectoral, with white below it, but not surrounded by white; a blackblotch below soft dorsal; caudal dusky at tip; fins otherwise pale.Described from type No. 6526, Leland Stanford Junior Universit}^Museum; from Tokyo, Japan.Our numerous specimens are from Tokyo, Misaki, Wakanoura,Tsuruga, and Nagasaki. On some of these the dark color on the sideis bordered by a dusky shade. In a few the lateral spots are a littlelarger than those on the back. In all the space just below eye iswithout distinct spots.This species is very close to S. aJhojilumheus^ but is smoother, anddiffers from all the others in the stellate character of the spots, whichare distinctly white.{vi(^o/3X?}g, snowed on, from the stellate spots.)
248 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM.
Measurements of Spheroldes nipliohles.
Length in millimetersDepth expressed in hundredths of lengthDepth of caudal peduncleLength of caudal peduncleLength of headWidth of interorbital spaceLength of snoutDiameter of orbitDistance from snout to dorsal flnHeight of longest dorsal raysHeight of longest anal raysLength of caudal finNumber of rays in dorsal finNumber of rays in anal fin
NO. 12.54. GYMXODONT FISHES OF JAPAN?JORDAN AND SNYDER. 249pores similar to those of S. ahhotti^ except that the upper and lowerbranches just behind the eye are concurrent, and the line extendinj^from the chin backward is very indistinct.Dorsal and anal of equal height; If in head; rounded. Caudal \\\rounded posteriorly. Pectoral about 2 in head; its posterior edgeconvex.Pinkish brown above or chocolate color, becoming gradually palerbelow; back with scattered, very irregular l)lack spots and mottlings,all smaller than eye; no large black blotches behind pectoral or belowdorsal; lins j)lain dusky; the caudal tipped with l)lackish in one speci-men; iris vellow.
Fin. 7.?SPHEROIPES (-HRYSOPS.Coast of Japan, here described from four specimens, the largestabout 300 mm. long, from Tokvo market and from Misaki.It is a well marked species, allied to S. pardal'ts^ but known at onceby its color and its ])lump form.(Xpt'fTOs, gold; coi\\ eye.)3. TETRAODON Linnseus.Teiraodon LiNX.EUs, Syst. Nat., 10th ed., 1758 {lineatm).IjCS Oroides L.\cepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss., I, 1797, p. 256 {fascc; French namesonly); based on front view of Tetraodon stellatus.Oruin Bloch and Schneider, Syst. Ichth., 1801, p. 530 {rommersoni); afterLacepede; name preoccupied in mollusks.Oroides Dumeril, Zoologie Analytique, 1806; after Lacepede.Oonidus R.\finesque, Analyse de la Nature, 1815, p. 90 (substitute for Orurii).Arothron ]Muller, Abh. Berl. Akad., 1839, p. 252 {1estudinarius=reticularis)
.
Les Epipedorhynques {Epipedorlnjnrhus) Bibron, Rev. Zool., 1855, p. 279.I^es Dilohomycteres {Dilobomycter) liiBRoy, Eevue Zool., 1855, p. 279 {retiodaris,etc).I^es Dichotomycteres {Dicho(omycter) Bibrox, Rev. Zool., 1855, p. 279 {furiatilis;no diagnosis).Brachycephalus Hollard, Gymnodontes, 18(57, p. 324.Crayracion Bleekeh, Atlas Gymnod., p. 65, after Klein, 1742; type spengleri,erroneously supjwsed to belong to this group.
25U PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.xxiv.Bod}' rather robust, the skin usually more or less prickly. Nostrilon each side with a tentacle, bifid to the base, its tips without opening,the branches of the large olfactory nerve ending in cup-like depres-sions along the inner edges of the two flattish lobes. Dorsal and anal
^fins rounded, each of 7 to 14 rays; the dorsal more or less in front ofanal; caudal rounded. Vertebra? usually 8+10= 18. A ring muscleabout the eye forming eyelids. Species numerous, chiefly of thetropical Pacific; distinguished from Spheroidex by the solid nasaltentacles. Most or all of our species belong to the section or genusOvotfles, distinguished by the form of the postfrontals and prefrontals,which are deflected to describe the segment of a circle. The valueof this character should be tested before Ovoldes is recognized as adistinct genus, {rhpa^ four; oSovg, tooth.)
a. Tetraodon: Dorsal and anal rather large, each of about 14 rays; body everywherewith round pale spots; belly paler than back .firtnameidum, 19.aa. OvoiDEs: Dorsal and anal small, each of about 10 rays.h. Spots on back.})lack, darker than the ground color; spines on belly black;forehead broad, flattish; spines stiff aerustaticm, 20.hb. Spots on back whitish or pale, paler than the ground color; spines on bellywhitish, rather flexible,
c. Belly crossed by black parallel stripes with white interspaces, the stripes fad-ing with age; interorbital are; con -^ave; gill-opening black hispidvs, 21.cc. Belly covered with round white spots on a dark background, like the back;interor1)ital area narrow, flattisli; prickles very close-set rneleagri.% 22.
19. TETRAODON FIRMAMENTUM (Schlegel).HOSHIFUKUTO (STARRY PUFFER).Tetrndon fir?iamentum Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, p. 280, pi. cxxvi, fig. 2, 1847,NagasakL
?
Bleeker, Verb. Bat. Uen., Japan, XXVI, p. 124.? Gunther,Cat. Fish., VIII, 1870, p. 299, Nagasaki.Body rather elongate; small two-rooted spines covering every part,except snout and posterior part of caudal peduncle. Snout 2| inhead, a little less than width of interorbital space, which is ratherconvex. Dorsal and anal higher than in other species, each of about14 rays, the front of anal nearly under middle of dorsal; caudal long,truncate.Color grayish above, paler below; the entire body and base of thecaudal covered with ovate white spots, smaller than the eye and nar-rower than the interspaces of the ground color. Length, a foot.Nagasaki; known only from the original types; not seen by us.{Ftnit((ii(enfi(iii, the sky; from the starry spots.)20. TETRAODON AEROSTATICUS (Jenyns).Tetrodon line(dvs Bloch, Ausliind. Fische, I, 1785, p. 128, pi. cxli (not ofLinnajus), and of various authors.
?
Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, 1847, p. 287,pi. cxxv, fig. 2, Nagasaki.ArothrouHneatus Bleeker, Verb. Bat. (Jen., Ja]ian, p. 40.
NO. 1254. GYMNODONT FISHES OF JAPAN?JORDAN AND SNYDER. 251Orayracion Ihwahis Bleeker, Atlas Gymnodontes, p. 70, pi. ii, %. 1; pi. viii,fig. 1, Bali, Singapore, C'elebes, Amboyna.Tetrodon aerostaticus Jenyns, Voy. Beagle, p. 152, 1842, locality unknown.Head, 2^ in length; depth of caudal peduncle, 3^ in head; eye, 7i;snout. 2i; interorbital space, 2f ; dorsal rays, 10; anal rays, 10.Body short, broad, and very deep, the -belly greatly inflatable;caudal peduncle somewhat compressed, its length 3 in head. Eyesmall, ;H ill snout. Interorbital space broad, flat, the distance betweeneyes i times their diameter. Mouth small, its width about 2 timesdiameter of eye. Cutting edges of teeth concave, the suture withoutdeep groove, and without ridges on either side. Nostrils with ])ifldtentacles; no apparent openings. Gill-opening almost as wide as baseof pectoral.Lips, liases of flns, and caudal peduncle naked, the other parts ofbody covered with prominent spines; those of the upper parts andsides sharp, those of belly club-shaped.Fins all rounded, the membranes thin; dorsal and anal about 3 inhead, caudal 2 in head. Pectoral rays 19.Color veiy dark brown; everywhere above with round, jet-blackspots of different sizes, but all smaller than eye; belly with broad,black bands, more or less confluent and irregular, those anteriorlyforming black reticulations around pale spots; vent black; base of pec-toral and anal with black spots, the caudal spotted, the other tins plain.East Indies; occasionally north to Japan; here described from a finespecimen taken at Houmoku, near Misaki, b}" Capt. Alan Owston.A smaller specimen, also from Misaki, shows no black spots abore andthe liands below are narrower, widely separated, and parallel. In boththe spines are black, both on the light and dark ground color.Dr. Giinther unites this, with several other of Bleeker's species,under the name of Tetrodon stellatus. The oldest name, however,certainly belonging to the present form is aerostaticus. Tetrodonstellatii.s is figured as having the rather high dorsal, like the caudal,well spotted with l)lack. It is, however, possible that Tetraodonstellatus is the adult of the same fish.{Aerostations, resting in air as a balloon.)
21. TETRAODON HISPIDUS Linnaeus.
? Tetraodon hispidus Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., 10th ed., 1758, p. 333, China, afterLagerstrom (probably this species, the spots not indicated in Lagerstrom'sfigure); Syst. Nat., 12th ed., 1766, p. 41L?? Bloch, Ausl. Fische, I, about1786, p. 130, pi. cxLii, Coromandel.Tetrodon hispidus Gijnther, Cat. Fish., VIII, 1870, p. 297, Red Sea, Zanzibar,Ceylon, Mozambique, Port Natal.Tetrodon perspiciUarls RtJppELL, Atlas Fische, p. 63, Red Sea.Tetrodon implutus Jk^yss, Voyage Beagle, Fish., 1842, p. 152, Vanikoro.Crayracion implutus Bleeker, Atlas Gymnodontes, p. 71, pi. i, fig. 5, Sumatra,Cocos, Solor, Timor, Batjan, Amboyna, Banda.
252 PRfX'EEDINQS OF THE NATTONAL MUSEUM. vouxxiv.Telraodon Interna Richardson, V(iy. Sulphur, 1842, p. 124, pi. lxi, fiij;. 2, Canton,after an incorrect drawinj^ l)y John Rfeeves.
?
Richardson, Ichtli. China,p. 199, Canton.Arothron laternn Bleeker, P^nnm. Pine. Archip. Ind., p. 200.TetrodonJiispidns (senmtriatns) GtJNTHER, Cat. Fish., VIII, 1870, p. 297, Amboyna,Aneitum, Australia.Head, 2| in length; depth of caudal peduncle, 3 in head; eye, 6;snout, 2i; interorbital space, 3; dorsal rays, 10; anal rays, 10.Body robust, the belly enormously distensible, caudal pedunclecompressed; the length 2i in head. Length of head less than distancebetween gill opening and insertion of dorsal. Interorbital space flat orsomewhat concave, the distance between eyes 3i times their diameter.Cutting edges of teeth concave; suture without a deep depression, onvertical ridges along its side. Gill opening not quite so wide as baseof pectoral. Nostrils with bifid tentacles, without apparent openings.Lips, upper part of snout, bases of fins, and caudal peduncle naked;other parts covered with prickles or short, slender spines; those of theupper parts very short and pointed; of the lower parts longer, pointed,and with a minute, fiesh}^ bulb near the tip. Lines of mucous poresvery indistinct; a line (encircling the eye) passing in a broad curveabove pectoral, then bending downward and extending to base ofcaudal fin.Fins small, their edges rounded; dorsal and anal, 3^ in head; ?audal.If; pectoral, 3.Color blackish gray, the upper parts with oblong or rounded palespots alK)ut as large as pupil; interspaces wider than spots; a largeblack blotch surrounded by a white ring around base of pectoral andgill opening; chin dusky; belh" whitish, with parallel stripes of black,which fade and grow narrower on the median part; caudal Avith smallwhite spots; other fins pale or with a little dusk3\Smaller specimens have the pale spots above much more obscure,while the black stripes on the belly are very distinct. The upperstripes arc most distinct and are deeper in color at intervals, leaving atrace of about -t dark cross bars on the side.In adult specimens, apparently of the same species, collected inHonolulu by Dr. O. P. Jenkins, the stripes on the belly are obsolete.In the young from the same locality they are very distinct.East Indies, north to the Riukiu Islands. Here described from aspecimen, 5^ inches long, from Okinawa (Coll. Y. Koneyama), and fromtwo others, each of which is about 4 inches long, from Ishigaki Islands(Yaeyama; Coll. Capt. Alan Owston). The larger specimen is evidentlyidentical with Bleeker's imjjlutm and Richardson's laterna. Thesynonymy of Riippell we have taken from Dr. Giinther. The unidenti-fied description of Tetrodon hispidus seems to belong to this species.The type came from China and was marked by vague, dark crossbands, but no pale spots are figured.
NO. 1254. GYMNODONT FISHES OF JAPAN?JORDAN AND SNYDER. 258
22. TETRAODON MELEAGRIS Lacepede.Tetrodon melcdyrla Lacepbde, Hiwt. Nat. PoLss., I, 1799, pp. 476, 505; seas ofAsia, on a drawing by Cpmrnerson.^Richardson, Voyage Sulphur, Fish, p122, pi. XLVii, 57, figs. 1-3, locality unknown, probably China Seas; alsonotes a drawing from Tahiti by Solander.
?
Gunther, Cat. Fish., VIII, 1870,p. 299, Richardson's type.f Arothron ophryas Cope, Fishes Lesser Antilles, 1870, jj. 479, Navigator Islands.f Ovoides ophryas Fowler, Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1900, p. 528, pi. xx, fig.2, after Cope's type.f Ocoideg lafifrons Je^^ki^h, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., 1899 (June 8, 1901), p. 398.Honolulu.Head, 2^ in length; depth of caudal peduncle, 3^ in head; eye, 8;snout, 2|; interorbital space, 2^; dorsal vajii, 10; anal rays, 10.Body robust, the belly capable of great inflation; dorsal contourevenly rounded, not much elevated; contour of snout slightly concave.
Fk.; s.?Tetraodon meleagris.Head large, its length less than distance between gill opening andinsertion of dorsal fin; interorbital space somewhat convex. Eyesmall, the diameter about 3 in snout; a little nearer to tip of snoutthan to gill opening. Dental plates of about equal width, the suturewithout a deep groove, and without vertical ridges on either side. Gillopening not so wide as base of dorsal. Nostril with a bifid tentaclewith 2 compressed flaps; no apparent opening.Lines of mucous pores not evident except above eyes. Bod}^ every-where except lips, border of gill openings, and bases of fins hispidwith rather slender, thick-set spines; those of the back short andrather rigidly set; those below nearly twice as long and more easilydepressed; the transition from shorter to longer spines gradual onthe sides.Fins with rounded edges; dorsal and anal of equal height, 2| inhead; caudal. If; pectoral, 2.Color dark brown or blackish, the spines whitish; everywhere
254 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.xxiv.covered with small, round, stellate, whitish spots, rather regularlyplaced, all narrower than pupil, and narrower than the interspaces.All the spots are round and those on sides of head, throat, and ])ellyare largest. No bands on belly; base of pectoral black, with whitespots; dorsal and anal dusky. Caudal spotted like the body.Pacific Ocean.One specimen from Okinawa, 125 mm. long, collected by YonekichiKomeyama.We identify this species with some doubt with Tetraodon melear/ri><as described, and as figured by Richardson. The only notable difler-ence lies in the form of the pale spots, which are lenticular or oblongin T. ineleagris and round in our specimen, as also in the specimenscalled ophryas and Jatifrons.{Meleag7HS^ a Guinea hen.)Family III. TROPIDICHTHYID^.SHARP-NOSED PUFFERS.This family includes small puffers, similar in external appearance tothe Tetraodontida% but with the snout sharp and the back more orless compressed or ridge-like. The skeletal characters by which thegroup is defined are thus given by Dr. Gill: Medifrontals separatedfrom the supraoccipital by the intervention of the sphenotics whichare connected together and laterally expanded, but short; theproseth-moid prominent above, enlarged and narrowed forward. Vertebrgeabout S + 10. Head compressed, with a projecting, attenuated snout;dorsal and anal short, few-rayed. Nostrils wanting or little developed.Tropical seas; small species; none of them reaching a length of morethan 6 inches.
a. Nostrils small, consisting of a raised rim with a small perforation Euimidcrias^ -i^.4. EUMYCTERIAS Jenkins.Eumycterias Jenkins, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., 1899 (Jmie 8, 1901), p. 399{bitieniatus)
.
This genus differs from Tra'pidichtkyK. in the less complete atrophyof the nostrils. These are reduced each to a raised rim or smallpapilla with a small perforation like a pin-prick.(ew, well; fxvKxi^p^ nostril.)
^ The nostrils are entirely wanting in TVopidichthys, the other genus of this family.The following is the synonymy of Tropidichthys:C'anthigaster Swainson, Nat. Hist. Fishes, II, 1839, p. 194 (diagnosis only; nospecies mentioned)
.
P.s?7ono<?s Swainson, Nat. Hist. Fishes, II, 1839, p. 328 {rofiiratas); substitute forC'anthigaster; not Psllunotua, a genus of Hymenoptera of prior date.Prilonotus (Kaup MS.) Richardson, Voyage Herald, 1854, p. 162 {rudrutus;misprint).Tropidichthys Bleeker, Nat. Tyds. Nederl. Ind., IV, 1854 {valentini).Anosmius Peters, Wiegmann's Arch. 1855, p. 274 {txniatus).Rhynchotus (Bibron) Hollard, Etudes Gymnodontes, 1857, p. 320 {peroni).
No.l2^. GYMXODONT FISHES OF JAPAN?JORDAN AND SNYDER. 255
23. EUMYCTERIAS RIVULATUS (Schlegel).KITAMAKURA (SLEEPER WITH IIPIYD TO NORTH); YOKOBUKU(CROSSWISE PUFFER); AKAMEBUKU (RED-EYED PUFFER).Teirodon rivulatus Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, Poises., 1847, p. 285, pi. cxxiv,fig. 3, Nagasaki.
?
Gdnther, Cat. Fish., VIII, 1870, p. 305 (copied).
?
Ishi-KAWA, Prel. Cat., 1897, p. 2, Sagami, Tokyo.Tetrodon grammatocephalus Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, Pois8., 1847, p. 286, pi.cxxvi, fig. 3, Nagasaki (young with obscure coloration).f Eumycterias hitxniatus Jexkixs, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., 1899 (June 8,1901),p. 400. Honolulu.Head 2f in length; depth 2|; depth of caudal peduncle 2^ in head;e,ye 4i; snout If; interorbital space 3f ; dorsal rays 10; anal rays 10.Bod}^ robust, deep, compressed, the dorsal contour greatly elevated,the outline from snout to occiput straight, the ventral contour evenlyrounded; caudal peduncle deep, compressed, its length 1| in head. Headtriangular in outline, its length equal to distance between gill-openingand dorsal fin; interorbital area narrow, nearly flat. Eye oblong, 2^in snout. Snout long, pointed. Nostrils with a single tube in a small,round papilla. Teeth scarcely pointed anteriorly, the cutting edgesstraight, the suture without a deep groove; no vertical ridge oneither side of groove. Width of gill-opening equal to one-half baseof pectoral.A median elevation or fold of the skin extending from chin to analopening. Skin smooth or with embedded prickles on adult specimens(100 to 150 mm. long). Young individuals with prickles above andbelow. With increasing age the prickles sink into the thick skin andentirely disappear. In dried specimens the}^ are present, having 3roots.Color, olivaceous above, bright violet below. Adults marked abovewith numerous narrow l)right blue lines running in various directionson the nape and back, mostly longitudinal on front of snout, and onback of tail, and descending vertically or obliquely about the eye;besides these lines are numerous vermiculations, especially on bod}^and tail, while the belly and sides are sprinkled with orange dots.These are especially numerous above and behind the chin and aboutthe gill opening. Belly with blue spots. All these markings arevariable and some of them fade in spirits. Dorsal blackish at base,otherwise pale; caudal dusky bluish, its base dusky above and below.Specimens of about 150 mm. are marked as above. Those of about100 mm. have in addition a dark curved line before gill opening, theupper part of which extends backward toward caudal. Smaller onesshow in addition two blackish lateral stripes, the one extending fromthe eye nearl}- to the caudal, the other from the tip of snout, belowpectoral; dark streaks before and behind gill-opening. Still smallerones lack streaks and spots and have two black lateral bands, witha silvery interspace.
256 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.xxiv.Some specimens of 100 mm. (Nagasaki), corresponding to grammato-cephalus, lack streaks except about the eye, have no spots, the bellyplain whitish, and the dark lateral streaks vaguely defined, the bodymottled or blotched with paler.Comparison of ver}^ many specimens from Tok}^?, Misaki, Waka-noura, Kobe, and from Nagasaki leaves no doubt that all belong to asingle species which varies much with age, as well as with the sur-rounding conditions. Additional variations arise in alcohol, whichcauses the fading of the violet and golden markings.Southern Japan, common in shallow bays about rocks from Tokyoto Nagasaki. The description of Emnycterias hitmiiatiis from Hono-lulu applies ver}^ well to a young specimen of this species.{Hlvulatus, having streaks like streams.)Family IV. DIODONTID^.PORCUPINE FISHES.Body short, broad, depressed above. Bell}^ moderately inflatable;body covered ever^^where except on the lips and caudal peduncle withspines, which are usually 2-rooted or 3-rooted at their bony base.Caudal peduncle short and slender. Mouth moderate, terminal, eachjaw covered with a bony plate like the beak of a bird; these not dividedby a median suture. Nostrils on each side forming a small tentacle,usually with 2 openings. Eye rather large, gill opening moderate,immediately in front of the pectoral, which is short, broad, androunded. Dorsal and anal fins short, similar to each other, roundedin form and placed posteriorl3^ Sluggish fishes, living on the bottomamong weeds and corals, in tropical seas. When disturbed, theyswallow air and float belly upward on the water. Their capacity ofinflation is very much less than that of the Tetraodontidoe,^ from whichfamily they" differ chiefl}' in the stronger armature and in having nodivision in the bony plate of either jaw. They are rarel}^ used asfood, being generally regarded as poisonous. The species are mostlywell known in collections, the singular form having attracted theattention of travelers in the earliest times.
a. Dermal ossifications mostly 2-rooted; the spines rather slender, but stiff anderectile. Nasal tentacle simple, with 2 lateral openings Diodon, 5.aa. Dermal ossifications all or nearly all o-rooted, each with a short, stiff, immovablespine. Nasal tentacle simple, with 2 openings C}dlo)nycterus, 6.5. DIODON Linnaeus.Diodon Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., 10th ed., 1758, p. 335 {Jtystrix).Paradiodon Bleeker, Atlas Ichth., Gymnodontes, 1867, p. 56 {Itijstriv); name asubstitute for Diodon, transferred to another genus; the first species mentionedby Linnteus being Diodon atinga, which was therefore taken by Bleeker asthe type.Body robust, the bell}^ moderately inflatable. Dermal spines strong,
stiff', most of them 2-rooted and erectile, a few 8-rooted and therefore
NO. 1254. GYMNODONT FISHES OF JAPAN?JORDAN AND SNYDER. 257immovable; both jaw.s entire; nasal tube .simple, with 2 lateral open-ing.s. Pectoral,'^ l)road. theii' margin uncUihite. the upper lobe longest;vertical lin.s rounded, the dorsal and anal short, posteriorly inserted,similar to each other. Tropical seas: the few species very widelydistributed.((J/b, two: odovg, tooth.)
24. DIODON HOLACANTHUS Linnaeus.HARISEMBON (THOUSAND-NEEDLES) ; YATSCMEBVKr (EIGHT-EYEDPFFFER); HARIFUKU (NEEDLE PUFFER).Ostracion oblongns ]ialaca?tlin.s ARTEin, Genera 60, No. 20, 1738, India.Diodon holacanthus Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., 10th ed., 1738, p. 335, after Artedi.Diodon holacantJius Jordan and Evekmaxx, Fish. N. M. America, 1898, p. 1746,Florida Keys, La Paz.Diodon Uturosus Shaw, Gen'l Zool.. 1806, X, p. 436, pi. ir. New Gytherea afterle diodon tachete of Lacepede.Diodon spinosissimits Cuvier, Mem. Mu.<., IV, 1818, p. 134; no locality. ,Diodon novemmaculatus Cuvier, Mem. Mus., IV, 1818, p. 134; no locality.
?
ScHLEGEL, Fauna Japonica, 1847, p. 289, pi. cxxvni, fig. 2, Nagasaki.Diodon se.rmaculatus Cuvier, Mem. I\Ius., IV, 1818, p. 134, no locality.Diodon midiimaculatus Cvvier, Mem. Mus., IV, 1818, p. 134, no locality.Diodon quadrimaculatus CvxiER, Mem. Mus., IV, 1818, p. 134, Otaiti.Paradiodon quadrimacidaius Bleeker. Atlas, (iymnodontes, 1867, p. 58, pi. viii,fig. 2, Solor, Amboyna.Diodon melanopsis Kaup, Wiegmann's Archiv., 1855, p. 228.Diodon macuIatHs Guxther, Cat. Fish., VIII, 1870, p. 307, St. Croix, Jamaica,Hawaii, China, Sulu Sea, Indian Ocean.
?
Ishikawa, Prel. Cat., 1897, p. 1,Tokyo, Miyako-Shima, Riukiu.Eyes well behind line of angle of mouth. Frontal spines long,usually longer than post-pectoral spines, about twice as long as eyein adult; predorsa'l spines not shortened. 2-rooted, erectile: 1-i to 17
.spines in a series betw^een snout and dorsal; post-pectoral spines notespecially elongate, their development variable; dorsal ravs usually12; anal 12; pectoral V)roader than long, its upper lobe pointed, lowerlobe rounded. Body marked with black spots and blotches irregularin size, usually a broad black bar from eye to eye, continued beloweye as a narrow bar; a broad bar across occiput: a black blotch aboveeach pectoral; a short bar in front of dorsal; another in which thedorsal is inserted; a blotch behind pectoral, and many small spots andblotches on upper parts: tins with few spots, usually unmarked in theyoung. Young (Mi.saki) with the belly .spotted: adult with tlw bellywhite, or with few spots.In all warm seas. Our Japanese specimens agree entirely with thedescription given by Jordan and Evermann, printed above. Thisspecies ma}^ be simply the young of the larger, equally co.smopolitanspecies, Dwdon hystr!,i'. In this form the frontal spines are smallerthan those behind the pectorals. We have six specimens from \A'aka-noura and two from Misaki.Proc. N. M. vol. xxiv?01 IT
258 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.xxiv.
6. CHILOMYCTERUS Bibron.KFRR-FISHES.f'liilomycfems Bibkox, in Barneville, Revue Zoologique, 1846, p. 40, (reficnlatus=figrlmis).<'}nl.omycterus Kaup, Wiegni. Archiv., 1847, p. 365 {antennatus).(tydlchthys Kaup, Wiegni. Archiv., 1855, ]:?. 231 {orbimlaris).CynnicJifJn/s Kaup, Wiegm. Archiv., 1855, p. 231 (cwruleus)
.
THodoi) Bleeker, Atlas Ichth., (Tymnod., 1865, p. 55 {atinga), the first speciesnamed by Linnanis; not Diodnn, as properly restricted by Kanp to THodonhyMri.r.l^ody broad, depressed, moderatel}" inflatable. Dermal spines short,stout, ininiovable, triang'ular, each with 3 roots; nasal tube simple,with two lateral openings: the tube sometimes rounded, sometimesflattened, and with the partition feeble and easily torn so that the ten-tacle appears undivided: caudal peduncle short; tins small, formed as inD/odott ; jaws without median suture. Species numerous, of smallersize than those of Diodon, the spines broader and lower, their basesforming' a coat of mail.(jf?\oj, lip; }Avnri]p^ nose ''Narines non closes au sommet, maischacune ayant Tapparence de deux levres, ou formee de deux tenta-cules reunis a la base.")
a. C'hilomvcterus: Nasal tentacle flattened, divided; fins spotted with black; snpra-orliital spines 3, feeble; no s]>ine on forehead; supraocular cirrus wanting; upperparts with short, dark streaks or bars, becoming blotches on the sides.caVtJoTn\erm?.25. CHILOMYCTERUS CALIFORNIENSIS Eigenmann.TORABUKU (TIGER PUFFER); HISHIBUKU (DIAMOND PUFFER); KAERU-BUKU (FROG PUFFER).DiotlDii ligriiius Schlec^el, Fauna Japonica, Poiss., 1847, p. 228, pi. cxxviii,fig. 1, Nagasaki, not of Cuvier.Chilomyciervf: figrinus Ishikawa. Prel. Cat., 1897, p. 1, Tokyo, Misaki.Chilomyctenoi ealiforniensis'^ Eigenmann, Amer. Nat., V, 1891, pp. 25, 1133, BanPedro, California.Chilomycterus californiensis Jordan and Snyder, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1900,p. 361, Tokyo.( 'lii/iimycterus ccdifornle7ms Snodgrass and Heller, Proc. Biol. S<jc. Wash., 1901,(Talapagos Islands.
^The following is the substance of Dr. Eigenmann's account: No tentacles any-where. Spines of back all low, those of front especially so, increasing in size towardbelly, where the}- become much larger than those of back. No spine on middle offorehead. A spine at upper anterior angle of orbit; one above, somewhat behind itsmiddle; one slightly behind and above its upper posterior angle; another halfwaybetween the last and the upper angle of pectoral, and another before and a littleabove the upper margin of pectoral. Blue above, white below; forehead and basesof all the fins with small (one-sixteenth inch) dark spots, fewer on anal; back<lensely covered with short streaks or bars, which become larger spots on sides; afew round dark si^ots (one-fourth inch in diameter) on belly; spots below eye largertliaii those on forehead, similar in size to those on caudal peduncle. Length 9|-juclies. San Pedro, California. ?
NO. 1254. GYMNODOXT FISHES OF JAPAN?JORDAN AND SNYDER. 259Head 2| in length; depth 3|; depth of caudal peduncle 5i in head;eye (width of bony orbit) 3f ; snout 3; interorbital space If; dorsalrays 12; anal raj^s 11.Upper contour of snout somewhat concave: interorbital space broad;concave; eyes placed obliquely, the anterior part of margins beingnearer together than the posterior parts. Nasal tentacle flattened,bilobed. Gill opening somewhat wider than base of pectoral. Nosupraocular cirrus. Dental plates with a rough surface, withoutmedian suture, bluntl}" pointed anteriorh', the cutting edges concave.Spines all short and blunt, increasing in size posteriori}" both aboveand below; a very low, four-rooted spine on posterior part of inter-orl)ital space; three low supraocular spines, followed by a row of threesomewhat higher spines, the posterior of which is above the pectoralfin; no spines on cheeks; middle of belly with very low spines; twosmall spines on upper part of caudal peduncle.Fins rounded; dorsal 2i? in head, anal 2^, caudal li, pectoral 2i.Color brown above, 3'ellowish white below, the color distributed inindistinct clouds on back; five more or less distinct broad verticalbands on sides, the first extending downward from front of orbit andacross chin below, the second immediately anterior to gill opening, thethird posterior to base of pectoral, the fourth just anterior to inser-tion of dorsal, the fifth at base of caudal fin; upper lip dark; fins withmany round brown spots.Coasts of Japan, rare; also recorded from San Pedro. California,and the Galapagos; here described from a specimen from TokA'o. Thisspecimen we can not separate from a Galapagos example which weidentify as Chilomycterus californiensi'^ Eigenmann, obtained at theGalapagos Islands by Snodgrass and Heller. It is close to Chilomyc-terus atinga (Linnaeus) (= reticulatus) of the Atlantic. Comparisonof specimens shows considerable variation, but no unquestionable dif-ferences among the Pacific examples.Family V. MOLID^E.HEAD-FISHES.Body oblong or more or less short and deep, compressed, truncatebehind, so that there is no caudal peduncle. Skin rough, naked, spi-nous, or tessellated. Mouth very small, terminal; teeth completelyunited in each jaw, forming a bonj^ beak without median suture, as inthe Diodontidxe. Dorsal and anal fins similar to each other, falcate infront, the posterior parts more or less perfectly confluent with thecaudal around the tail; no spinous dorsal; no ventral tins; pelvic boneundeveloped; pectorals present. Belly not inflatable; gill openingssniall, in front of pectorals; an accessor}^ opercular gill; no air bladder.Fishes of the open seas, apparently composed of a huge head to whichsmall fins are attached; found in most warm seas, pelagic in habit,
260 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.xxiv.and reaching a very large size. The veiy young are variou.sl}" short-
"
ened in form and armed with spines. The flesh in these fishes iscoarse and tough, and they are not used as food.
a. Body suborl)iciilar, not twice as long as deep; skin tliick, rough, gristly, withouthexagonal plates Mola, 7.aa. Body ol)long, about twice as long as deep; skin smooth, tessellated, with smoothhexagonal plates Raman ia, 8.7. MOLA Cuvier.Mol'i CrviER, Tal)leau Elem. Hist. Nat. Animaux, 1798, p. 323 (rotunda = mola).Oiihvagoriscus Bloch, Syst. Ichth., Schneider ed.,1801, p. 510 (mola); misprintfor Ortliagoriscus.Cephalus Shaw, General Zoology, V, 1804, ])p. 2, 432 {mola).Orthragus Rafinesque, Caratt. Ale. Nuov. Gen. e Nuov. Sp. Anim. e Piantedella Sicilia, 1810, p. 17 (Inna = mola).Diplanchias Rafinesque, Caratt. Ale. Nuov. Gen. e Nuov. Sp. Anim. e Piantedella Sicilia, 1810, p. 17 (na.^u.'< = mola).Tympanomium Ranzaxi, Novi Comm. Ae. Sci. Bonon., V, 1837, p. 3, pi. after p.81 (planci-=mola).Trematopsis Ranzani, Novi Comm. Ac. Sci. Bonon., V, 1837, p. 3, .pi. after p. 81(willughheii= mola).Ozodura Ranzani, Novi Comm. Ac. Sei. Bonon., V, 1837, p. 3, pi. after p. 81(orsini = mola)
.
Pedalion (Guilding MS.) Swainson, Nat. Hist, and Cla.-s'n. Fishes, etc., 1839, I,p. 199; II, pp. 195, 329.Aledon Castelnau, Mem. sur Poissons Afrique Aust., 1861, p. 76 (sloreri = mola).larval forms.Molacanthus Swainsox, Nat. Hist, and Class'n Fishes, etc., IT, 1839, pp. 195,329 (pallasi).Pallasia, Nardo, Ann. Sci. Regno Lombard., Venet., V, 1840, pp. 10, 112, (pallasi).Acanthosoma De Kay, New York Fauna, Fishes, 1842, p. 330 (carbiatum)
.
Centotnts Kaup, Archiv. Naturgesch., I, 1855, p. 221 (hoops).Body ovate, strongly compressed, covered with a thick, rough,leathery, elastic skin, which is without bony plates. Profile forminga projecting fleshy nose above the mou^h. Dorsal fin beginning notfar behind pectorals, short and high, falcate, confluent with the analaround the tail; no large spines on the body. Clumsy fishes, foundin most warm seas, reaching a great size; the young {Jlo/aan/f/ia.s)with the body deeper, much compressed, without trace of caudal fin,its place taken by a row of marginal spines.{Mola, a millstone.)26. MOLA MOLA (Linnaeus).Tetrodon mola Linn^us, Syst. Nat., 10th ed., 1758, pp. 334, 412, Mediterranean;after Ostracion catheoplateus suhrotundus A.b.tedi, Genera, 1738, j). 61.Ortliagoriscus mola Bloch and Schneider, Syst. Ichth., 1801, p. 510.
?
Schlegel,Fauna Japonica, Poiss., 1847, p. 288, pi. cxxvii, Nagasaki.
?
Guxthek, Cat.Fish., VIII, 1870, p. 317.Mola iicaleata Kolreuter, Nov. Comm. Petropo!., X, 1766, ]>. 337, pi. viii, figs.2 and 3.
I
NO. 1254. (n'MXODOXT FISHES OF JAPAX?JORDAX AXD SXYDER. 261Mala roturnla Ccvier, Tableau Elem. Nat. Hist., 1798, p. 323; after Tetrodon molaLinnseus.Tetrodon lune Lacepede, Hist. Nat. Poiss., I, 1798, p. 509.Orthragoriscus Idsjndus Bloch and Schneider, Syst. Ichth., 1801, p. 511.OrthagoriscHS fasciatus Bloch and Schneider, Syst. Ichth., 1801, p. 511.Cephalus brecis Shaw, Gen. ZooL, V, 1804, p. 437, pi. clxxvi.Cephahis pallasimms SnAvr, Gen. Zool., V, 1804, p. 440.Diodon carinatus Mitchill, Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. New York, II, 1815, p. 264, pi.V, fig. 1, New York.Acanthosoma carinatum De Kay, New York Fauna, Fishes, 1842, p. 330, pi. lv,fig. 179.Orthugoriscus spinosus Cuvier, Regne Animal, 1817.Cephalus 07-thagoriscus Risso, Eur. Merid., Ill, 1826, p. 173.Ozodura orsini Ranzani, Nov. Connn. Ac. Sci. Inst. Bonon., Ill, 1839, p. 82,Mediterranean Sea; Nov. Coinm. Ac. Sci. Inst. Bonon., 111,18.39, pi. vi.Tympanomium inland Ranzani, Nov. Conim. Ac. Sci. Inst. Bonon., Ill, 1839,p. 82, Adriatic Sea.Dtplanchias nasus Ranzani, Nov. Comm. Ac. Sci. Inst. Bonon., Ill, p. 82, "inmarei siculo."Trematopsis icillughbei Ranzani. Nov. Comm. Ac. Sci. Inst. Bonon., Ill, \>. 82, inoceano.Orthragoriscus retzii Ranzani, Nov. Comm. Ac. Sci. Inst. Bonon., Ill, p. 82, nolocality.Orthragoriscus ghini Ranz.\ni, Nov. Comm. Ac. Sci. Inst. Bonon., Ill, p. 82, Medi-terranean Sea.Orthragoriscus rondeletii Ranzani, Nov. Comm. Ac. Sci. Inst. Bonon., Ill, p. 82,3Iediterranean Sea.Orthragoriscus blochii Ranzani, Nov. Comm. Ac. Sci. Inst. Bonon., Ill, p. 82,
"in mari oceano."Orthragoriscus alexandrini Ranzani, Nov. Comm. Ac. Sci. Inst. Bonon., Ill, p. 82,Adriatic Sea.Orthragoriscus red i Ranzani, Nov. Comm. Ac. Inst. Bonon., Ill, p. 82, Mediter-ranean Sea.OrtJiragorisais oculeatus Ranzani, Nov. Comm. Ac. Inst. Bonon., Ill, p. 82.Orthragoriscus lunaris Gronow, Cat. Fishes, ed. Gray, 1854, p. 165, MediterraneanSea.Orthragoriscus Solaris Gronow, Cat. Fishes, ed. Gray, 1854, p. 165, MediterraneanSea.Orthragoriscus elegans Ranzani, Nov. Comm. Ac. Inst. Bonon., Ill, Atlantic Ocean.Orthragoriscus battarse Ranzani, Nov. Comm. Ac. Inst. Bonon., Ill, Adriatic Sea.AJedon storeri Castelnau, Poiss. Afr. Austr., pp. 75, 76.Aledon capensis Castelnau, Poiss. Afr. Austr., jjp. 75, 76, Cape of Good Hope.Pallasia pallasi Nardo, Ann. Sci. Regno Lombard., Venet., X, 1840, p. 112, Venice.Orthagoriscus analis Ayres, Proc. Cal. Ac. Sci., II, 1854, p. 31, fig. liv, SanFrancisco.Mola ma^us Steenstrup and Lutken, Overs. Dansk. Vid. Selsk. Forh., 1863, p. 36.Mola retzii Steenstrup and Lutken, Overs. Dansk. Yid. Selsk. Forh., 1863, p. 36.Orthragoriscus ozodura Harting, Verhand. Ak. Wet. Amsterd., 1868, pp. 1?48,pis. I-VIII.Ostracion boops Richardson, Voy. Erebus and Terror, Ichth., 1844, p. 52, SouthAtlantic.Head 3; depth Ig; D. IT; A. 16, Dorsal and anal lin.s high in front,rapidly decreasing backAvard, the height of each about 2i in length of
262 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. voi.xxiv.body in adult; caudal tin low, with a wavy outline. Depth always morethan one-half length, and in the young- the vertical diameter exceedingthe longitudinal. Form varying nmch with age, the T)ody becoming-more elongate, the lin.s comparatively shorter, the eye much smaller,and a hump being developed above the mouth, topped by an osseoustubercle. Dark gray; sides graj^ish brown with silvery reflections;belly dusky ; a broad blackish bar running along the bases of the dorsal,caudal, and anal fins.Pelagic, inhabiting most temperate and tropical seas, swimmingslowl}^ about, the high dorsal above the surface. Occasionallj' north-ward to Tokyo, England, Cape Cod, San Francisco; rare in the WestIndies. It reaches a weight of 300 to 1.800 pounds. Japanese speci-mens are occasionally taken, but onl}- one, from Nagasaki, has beenclosely examined by us. This specimen has the dorsal very high, 2yVin body. The above description is from Atlantic examples. Thepublished figures of Japanese specimens indicate no difl'erence.(Jfola, a millstone.) 8. RANZANIA Nardo.Hanzania Nardo, Ann. Sci. Regn. Lonil)ar(l., ^'enet., V, 1840, jip. 10, 105,[tniitcatiis)
.
Body oblong, the depth about one-half height; skin smooth, tessel-lated, divided into small hexagonal scutella; caudal truncate. Other-wise essentially as in Mola, the size smaller. The larval forms areunknown. Pelagic.(Named for Camillo Ranzani, of Bologna, an excellent naturalist,who was led by the variations in the form of Jlola to an ineffectivesubdivision of the species in many genera.)
27. RANZANIA MAKUA Jenkins.Ranzania makua Jenkins, Proo. C'al. Ac. Sci., 2(1 yer., V, October 31, 1895, pp.780, 784, with colored plate, Pearl Harbor, near Honolulu.
?
Jordan andEvERMANN, Fish. X. yi. America, 1898, p. 1755, copied.D. IT; A. 18; C. 19; P. o. Depth 2i in length to base of caudal;head 2f ; eve in head, 2^ in snout.Body much compressed, the ventral margin a sharp, evenly curvedkeel. Eye much above axis of body, a little nearer snout than base ofpectoral. Teeth forming a turtle-like beak completely hidden l)yprojecting folds of skin, which form a truncated opening to the mouth.Gill opening just in front of upper base of pectoral, covered by a2-lobed valve. Body covered by an armor of small plates, more orless hexagonal and concealed. Pectoral about 1^ in head, above axisof body; height of dorsal about equal to head; anal slightly lower;dorsal and anal each separated from the caudal by a notch. Colorbright silvery on sides, upper parts dark; sides with brighter silveryi
(tYMXODONT fishes of japan?JORDAN AND SNYDER. 263bands, the first 3 with distinct black borders, the next 4 with nimierousblack spots, the black margins appearing only on lower parts.Differing- from Ranzanla truncata chiefly in the smaller eye, in hav-ing the eye placed well a])Ove the mouth and abov^e the axis of thebody, in the high position of the pectoral tin. in the higher dorsal andanal, and in the coloration. Originally known from one specimen inLeland Stanford Junior Universit}' Museum. 20 inches long, taken atthe mouth of Pearl Harbor, Oahu. by Mr. Hiel Kapu. and sent toStanford University by Mr. Charles B. Wilson. A second exampleabout 4 inches long was secured by the senior author at Honoluluduring the summer of 1901.It is rarelv taken in Japan. In a collection of old paintings l)elong-ing to Count Date, examined l)v us in Sendai. is a fine colored figure ofthis species with the legend in Japanese, "Off" the Sea of Akabane inMikawa by Sokichi Minake." The picture was made about 1850.The coloration is rather more spotty than in the type of Riinzanlatnakua.(Ji^/A7/(/. the native name of the fish, meaning "the source fromwhich the Bonito and the Albacore sprung in ages past.")RECAPITULATION.Suborder GYMNODONTES.Family 1. Triodoxtid.e.1. Triodon Eeinwardt.1. bursorius Reinwardt; Misaki.Family II. Tetraodoxtid.e.2. Spheroides Lacepede.? iMfjocephalus Swainson.2. sceleratus (Forster).3. upadiceus (Richardson); Tokyo, Nagasaki.4. stictonotufi (Schlegel); Hakodate, ^Nlisaki, Nagasaki.5. inermis (Schlegel).6. porphyreus (Schlegel).7. rubripes (Schlegel); Tokyo, Wakanoura.8. xanthopteris (Schlegel)
.
9. pardaUs (Schlegel); Hakodate, Aomori, Matsnshima,Tokyo, Misaki, Onomichi, Nagasaki.10. abbotti Jordan and Snyder; Tokyo.11. exascurnn Jordan and Snyder; iSIisaki.12. ocellatus (Osbeck).13. alboplmnheus (Hichard^on); Aomori, Wakanoura, (Onom-ichi, Tsuruga.14. rcDnindaris (Schlegel); Tokyo, Misaki, Ko})e, Tsuruga,Nagasaki.15. borealh Jordan and Snyder; Otarn, ^Nlororan. Hak<xlate,Aomori, Same, Matsushima.16. nip>hohles Jordan and Snyder; Tokyo, Misaki, AVakanoura,Tsuruga, Nagasaki.? Spheroides.
264 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIOXAL MUSEUM. vol.xxiv.17. rldicl (Fr^minville).18. chrysops (Hilgendorf ); Tokyo, Misaki.8. Tefraodon Linnseus.? Tefraodon.19. firmamentum (1-^chlegel).? Ovoides Dumeril.20. aerostaticus (Jenyns); Misaki.21. hispidus Linnaeus; Okinawa, Ishigaki.22. melmgriii Lat-epede; Okinawa.Family III. Tropidichthyid.f..4. Eumi/cterias Jenkins.23. rimlattts (Schlegel); Tokyo. ]Misaki, Wakanonra, Kobe,Nagasaki,family JV. Diodontid^e.o. Diodon Linnseus.24. holacanthus LinnaniH; Misaki, Wakanoura.6. Chdomycterus Bibron.25. californiensis Eigeninaini; Tokyo.Family V. Moun.E.7. M:>Ja Cuvier.26. ?i o/a (Linnpeus); Tokyo.8. Hanzania Nardo.27. makna Jenkins; Akabane.