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Show 942 MR. G. KREFFT ON NEW AUSTRALIAN FISHES. [Nov. 28, anal Jy, of caudal j- of the total length. Height of head ^, of body i-, of dorsal J--, of ventral i, of anal jr of the total length. Eyes. Diameter ^ oi length of head; nearly 1 diameter apart, 2 diameters from end of snout. Body elongated and slightly compressed, the upper profile ascends considerably from the snout to the commencement of the dorsal fin. N o raised adipose keel along the back. Mouth inferior, overhung by the snout. One pair of cirri on snout, as long as the orbit; two pairs on maxillae, and two on the lower jaw. A free, bifurcated suborbital spine under the anterior third of the orbit. Anterior nostril tubular, divided by a valve from the posterior. Fins. Pectoral arises under the operculum; it is as long as the bead, and terminates at a distance equal to that from the snout to tbe posterior margin of the orbit from the commencement of the ventral, which does not quite reach the anal. Dorsal arises rather anterior to the termination of the pectoral, and ends just before the commencement of the anal. Dorsal fin highest anteriorly, with an elevation about its centre. Caudal nearly square, but with a slight emargination from its third to its sixth ray. Internal pectoral ray bony, with an enlarged extremity. Scales minute, covering the body. Colours. Greyish, becoming dirty white below the centre of the body. A dark line passes from the eye to the centre of the tail; along its first half are six black spots, whilst the whole extent of the back is irregularly lineated. Fins yellowish. Dorsal with four dark bands along it. Caudal with three bands, and a black margin. A black mark at the base of the tail, with a smaller one above and another below it. This pretty little Loach was kept upwards of a month in a vase of water. When at rest it usually remained on the sand or rock-work supported by its two pectoral and its anal fins, its abdomen not touching the ground. When frightened it burrowed under the sand with great rapidity. It consumed animal or vegetable food indifferently, and grew considerably whilst in confinement. 8. Descriptions of some N e w Australian Freshwater Fishes, B y G E R A R D K R E F F T , F.L.S., C.M.Z.S., Curator and Secretary of the Australian Museum, Sydney, N . S.W. Fam. PERCIDJE. MIONORUS, n. g. Seven branchiostegals; all the teeth villiform, without canines; teeth on the vomer and on the palatine bones ; tongue smooth. Two dorsals ; the first with six, the anal with two spines. The leaves of the head without denticulation. Operculum without spines ; scales moderate. |
