On Engraulis japonicus Schlegel

In his »Catalogue of Fishes”, Vol. VII, 1868, p. 387, Dr. Günther says, that he agrees with Valenciennes ¹) in the opinion, that Engraulis japonicus Schlegel (Fauna Japonica, 1850, Pisces, p. 239, tab. CVIII, fig. 3) should be identical with E. ringens Jenyns (Voyage of the Beagle, 1842, Fishes, p. 136). On p. 390 of the same volume the author mentions Atherina japonica Houttuijn, with E. commersonianus Richards, as synonyme. E. ringens is found at the Pacific coast of America, E. japonicus Schleg. in the Japanese seas; yet Günther considers it not a very extraordinary fact, that a same species should occur on these two widely separated coasts. As the author, in 1880, described the shore-fishes of the Challenger-expedition (Chall. exped., 1880, Zoology, Vol. I, pt. VI, p. 72), he named the specimens from the Chinese coasts, mentioned in his Catalogue under the name E. japonica, E. chinensis and uttered his opinion, that A. japonica Houttuijn should be identical with E. japonicus Schleg. According to Günther’s opinion on p. 387 (Cat. of Fishes, Vol. VII, 1868) E. japonicus Schleg. is = E. ringens, therefore we should have the following two species: a. E. ringens Jenyns (Günther, Cat. of Fishes, Vol. VII, 1868, p. 386) s. E. japonicus Schleg. s. A. japonica Houttuijn.