CO129-538-1 Hong Kong University 31-12-1931 - 6-8-1932 — Page 122

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All

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HENRY W. FOWLER

GOBIIDAE.

Crypocentrus filifer (Valenciennes). Ngau2 Sau Um1 (Bent hand). Two examples, 85 to 90 mm, Agrees with Jordan and Snyder's figure (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., vol. 24, 1901, p. 72, fig. 12) only the black ocellus on the spinous dorsal more prominent and larger. Soft dorsal also variegated with white or pale blue white reticulating lines which leave some of the resulting blotches dark or even blackish posteriorly on fin.

Rhinogobius hongkongensis Scale. Lai Um1 (Mud fish).

Six examples, 67 to 98 mm. These specimens all show more or less pale blue or white spots on the sides of the body, usually but one on a scale.

Rhinogobius caninus (Valenciennes).

Two examples, 108 to 117 mm.

Gobius ornatus Rüppell.

One example, 60 mm.

Oxyurichthus amabilis Seale.

Pak, Karp, (Pigeon fish).

Eight examples, 101 to 115 mm. All in poor preservation. Also a small example but 40 mm. long. It is marked with 4 or 5 dark lateral blotches, last at caudal basc.

Trypauchen vagina (Schneider). Cherk, Lai Yui2.

Eighteen examples, 101 to 155 mm, Trypauchen wakae Jordan and Snyder (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., vol. 24, 1901, p. 127, fig. 32. Wakanoura, Japan) founded on a single small example but 205 mm. long does not appear to me to differ in any way from my materials. It was supposed to differ according to Cuvier's description and Day's figure, the naked area on front of trunk in [is] much smaller, and the figure shows a more elongate mouth and head." These are hardly diagnostic characters as my examples are variably with the scales on the belly sparse, scattered and when especially imbedded, inconspicuous; in other cases they are crowded somewhat to very small and may give the belly a well scaled appearance.

Ctenotrypauchen chinensis Steindachner (Sitz. Akad. Wiss. Wien, vol. 55, pt. 1, 1867, p. 530, pl. 6, figs. 3-4. China) is distinguished chiefly by its shorter body, the depth of which is about 57% in body length to the caudal base. Belly and region between pectoral and ventral well scaled. Known from a single small example, size not given and the figure small.

BLENNIIDAE.

Petroscirtes bankieri Richardson,

One example, 83 mm. This species has apparently not been noticel since originally described in 1844. Richardson's figure of the head shows the lower canines broken off.

SOLEIDAE.

Areliscus interruptus (Günther). Tat, Sa1.

Studies of Hong Kong Fishes-No. 2

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One example, 78 mm. D. 102; A. 83; scales 70 in median lateral line to caudal base; no lower lateral line. Agrees largely with Günther's figure (Rep. Voy. Challenger, vol. 1, pt. 6, 1880, p. 70, pl. 30, fig. B.) based on a Japanese specimen 150 mm. long. My specimen shows much smaller eyes and the mottling as contrasted brown blotches.

AMMODYTIDAE.

HERKLOTSINA new genus.

Type Herklotsina viridianguilla new species.

Body elongate, well compressed, with rather long free caudal peduncle as in Bleekeria. Head moderate, well compressed, attenuated as in Ammodytes. Snout conic. Eye large, anterior in head. Premaxil- laries very protractile. Maxillary not reaching eye. Lower jaw well pro- truded. Mandibular rami greatly elevated inside mouth. Teeth in jaws indistinct, very minute, none on palate. Interorbital broad. Gill rakers moderate.

Scales Gill openings widely cleft, membrane very narrow. small, skin without inclined folds. Dorsal long, begins over front of pectoral, higher than body depth. Anal small. Caudal moderately emarginate. Pectoral larger than postocular region. No ventral.

Diagnosis. Related to Ammodytes, with similar physiognomy but without longitudinal folds below or on the belly. From Bleekeria it differs in the different physiognomy of the head. According to Day's figure of the genotype Bleekeria kallolepis (Fishes of India, pt. 4, 1878, p. 420, pl. 91, f.3) the jaws are subequal in front and the mouth is thus shown as terminal. It is also shown with a smaller eye, more deeply forked caudal fin in which the lobes are sharply pointed and different coloration, or with 5 longitudinal stripes on the body and one on the dorsal and another on the anal. Day gives "back and upper two-thirds of body bluish, lineated with about five yellowish horizontal bands, which are as wide as the id

grou colour. Dorsal fin with a bluish base and yellow bands; anal with a bluish band along its centre: caudal stained gray externally."

Hypotychus Steindachner, based on H. dybowskii from Japan and northward have the dorsal and anal inserted opposite and behind the middle in the total length of the fish. From all the known genera, Ammodytes Linnaeus (Argyrotaenia Gill, Hyperoplus Günther), Bleekeria Günther, Rhynchias Gill [doubtful], Embolichthys Jordan and Hypoptychus Stein- dacher it differs in the elevated dorsal fin.

(For Dr. G. A. C. Herklots, who secured this interesting species, the first of its family to be known from southern China).

Herklotsina viridianguilla new species. T'seng1 Sin2 (Green eel).

Text figure 13.

Depth 8 2/5 to 8 4/5; head 4 4 to 4 2/5, width 3% to 33/5. Snout 334 to 4 in head from snout tip; eye 48 to 54/5, 1 to 14 in snout, greater than interorbital; maxillary reaches 2 to 7/8 to eye, length 4 to 4 4/5

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