Cynoglossus abbreviatus (Gray 1834)

Cynoglossus abbreviatus (Gray)

Plagusia abbreviata Gray, 1835, pl. 94: fig. 3 [type-locality: China].—Richardson, 1846:280 [coasts of China, Canton].

Cynoglossus abbreviatus Günther, 1862:494 [Amoy]; 1873a:244 [Shanghai].—Bleeker. 1873:136.—Peters, 1880:923 [Ningpo]. —Seale, 1914:78 [Hong Kong].—Fowler and Bean, 1920:321 [Soochow].—Evermann and Shaw, 1927:113 [Hangchow, Nanking, Ningpo].—Tchang, 1929:37, fig. 43 [Yangtze R.].—Fowler, 1930:615 [Hong Kong].—Wu, 1932:157 [Tchou-San, Tchefoo, Tsingtao].—Ochiai, 1963:95, pl. 21.—Chu, 1963:544, fig. 441.—Shen, 1967:208 [Kowloon].

Areliscus abbreviatus.—Jordan and Metz, 1913:62 [Fusan].—Reeves, 1927:14 [Shanghai, Ningpo, Swatow].—Wu, 1929:71, fig. 57 [Amoy].—Chu, 1931:96.—Herre and Myers, 1931:252 [Canton].—Matsubara. 1955:1286.

Trulla abbreviata.—Fowler, 1934b:213, fig. 29 [China, Hong Kong, Canton, Amoy, Soochow, Ningpo, Hongchow, Nanking, Shanghai, Yangtze R.].

Cynoglossus trigrammus Günther, 1862:494, [type-locality: Chinese seas].—Bleeker, 1865b:56 [Amoy]; 1873:131.—Martens, 1876:399 [Shanghai].—Sauvage, 1881:107 [Swatow].—Rutter, 1897:89 [compiled].—Wu. 1932:160 [Swatow].—Wu and Wang, 1933:303 [Amoy].—Ochiai, 1959:211; 1963:92, pl. 20.—Chu, 1963:542, fig. 409.—Shen, 1967:210 [Kowloon].

Areliscus trigrammus.—Reeves, 1927:14.—Oshima, 1927:202 [Taihoku].—Chu, 1931:95.—Herre, 1932:433 [Canton].—Matsubara, 1955:1286.

Trulla trigrammus.—Fowler, 1934b:214.

Areliscus purpureomaculatus Regan, 1905a:26 [type-locality: Inland Sea of Japan].—Jordan and Starks, 1906a:242.—Jordan, Tanaka, and Snyder, 1913:336.—Jordan and Hubbs, 1925:303.—Wu, 1932:156 [Tsing-Tao, Chefoo].—Kamohara. 1952:86 [Tosa].—Mori, 1952:184 [Pusan].

Cynoglossus xiphoideus [not Günther].—Wu, 1932:158.

Areliscus gracilis [not Günther].—Chen and Weng, 1965:99 [Tungkong].

DESCRIPTION.—Based on 19 specimens, 96.0–285.0 mm SL, including the types of C. trigrammus and the holotype of C. purpureomaculatus.

Depth of body 22.58–27.78 (M = 24.98), length of head 18.16–22.22 (M = 20.22) percent of standard length. Diameter of eye 5.56–9.52 (M = 7.57), interorbital space 4.35–9.47 (M = 6.80) percent of length of head. Two nostrils on ocular side, anterior nostril tubular, in front of lower eye, posterior nostril simple, in anterior half of interorbital space. Snout obtusely pointed, 35.24–40.71 (M = 37.52) percent of length of head, rostral hook short, ends in front of anterior nostril. Maxillary extending to below posterior half or rarely to posterior border of fixed eye; angle of mouth extending below vertical from middle or posterior half of fixed eye, slightly nearer to tip of snout than to branchial opening; tip of snout to angle of mouth 46.23–50.0 (M = 47.89), angle of mouth to branchial opening 47.62–55.79 (M = 52.44) percent of head.

Scales: Rather small, ctenoid on both sides, those on blind side weakly serrated.

Lateral-Line System: Three lateral lines on ocular side, dorsolateral line running backward and entering dorsal fin posteriorly, midlateral line with 118–136 (M = 125) scales, 18–23 (M = 21) scales between middle and upper lateral line, ventrolateral line runs backward and enters anal fin posteriorly. No lateral line on blind side.

Interlinear scale rows 18 19 20 21 22 23

Frequencies 3 1 4 6 4 1

Fins: Dorsal with 128–135 (M = 130) rays, anal with 100–108 (M = 104) rays, caudal 8 (9) in 12 specimens (radiographs).

Vertebrae: 60–64, comprising 10–11 abdominal and 46–53 caudal elements in 12 specimens (radiographs).

Coloration: Upper side brownish with or without dark blotches, lower whitish in preserved specimens.

Size: Largest specimen examined, 295.0 mm SL, is from Hong Kong.

DISTRIBUTION.—South China Sea (Amoy, Canton, Kowloon, Hong Kong, and Shanton) through Taiwan, Shanghai, Tunghai, and Po-hai to Korea and Japan.

DIAGNOSIS AND