OCR Text |
Show 1867.] MR. F. DAY ON NEW INDIAN FISHES. 701 Ventral rather pointed. Anal-first spine short, second strongest, the last one-fourth the longest; soft portion rounded. Caudal cut nearly square. Scales small, in rows passing obliquely upwards and backwards above the lateral line, and horizontally below it. Lateral line in upper fifth of body." Colours. Greyish, with a golden gloss about the head. A narrow black line passes from the upper margin of the orbit to the last dorsal spine. A second line passes downwards from the upper third of the orbit to the superior spine of the operculum, whence it proceeds to the base of the sixth dorsal ray. A third and similar band commences at the lower margin of the orbit, and, passing beneath the central spine of the operculum, is continued to the upper third of the caudal fin, where it takes the form of rounded blotches. Dorsal fin with a row of black spots along its centre, and a black external edging. Caudal with numerous black spots, and a black margin. Anal black-tipped. Eye golden. This description is that of a male specimen. MESOPRION RUSSELLI, Bleeker. Antika doondiawah, Bussell, pl. 98. B.vii. D. 10/14. P. 16. V. 1/5. A. 3/8. C. 17. L. 1. 54. L. tr. 9/20. The length of specimens varies up to 13 inches. Length of head ?-, of pectoral \, of base of dorsal spines more than |, of base of dorsal rays ^-, of base of anal g, of caudal ± of the total length. Height of head rather more than 5, of body ^, of dorsal spines g, of dorsal rays y1^, of ventral ^, of anal spines T r, of anal rays g of the total length. Eyes rather longer than high ; diameter | of length of head, 1^ diameter from end of snout, | of a diameter apart. Body ovoid, compressed. Dorsal profile rather more convex than the abdominal. Lower jaw slightly the longest; the posterior extremity of the maxilla extends to beneath the anterior third of the orbit. Prae-opercle with a very shallow emargination in the lower third of its vertical limb, which has also a few small serrations upon it; horizontal limb crenulated. Scapular serrated. Teeth. A n external row of widely separated conical teeth in either jaw, those in the lower the largest, and increasing iu size posteriorly. A pair of large canines in upper jaw, with a smaller one contiguous. A row of very fine villiform teeth in both jaws posterior to the conical row. Villiform teeth in vomer and palate. Fins. Dorsal spines rather weak, the third much the longest; interspinous membrane rather deeply emarginate; last spine not so long as the first ray. Pectoral pointed. Ventral pointed, spine weak. First anal spine short and weak, two last of equal length, but the middle spine much the strongest. Caudal emarginate, its base broad. |