OCR Text |
Show 1867.] SURGEON F. DAY ON N E W FISHES OF MADRAS. 939 ray ; the fin twice as high anteriorly as posteriorly. Caudal deeply lobed. Scales in parallel horizontal rows. Lateral line follows the curve of the back, in the upper fourth of the body. It consists of a single tube in each scale, with branching roots, which are most distinct superiorly. Air-bladder absent. Colours. Chestnut along the back, becoming golden on the abdomen. Head reddish ; a silvery stripe from the eye to the centre of the caudal fin, with a row of red spots above it, and another below it. Two reddish bars cross both the dorsal fins. Caudal with four oblique reddish bars across the upper lobe, whilst the lower is reddish and without bars. Pectorals, ventrals, and anal fins yellowish. Eye silvery. OTOLITHUS ANEUS, Bloch. B.vii. DilOl'-j? P. 17. V. 1/5. A. 2/7. C. 17. L. 1. 52. L. tr. 9/15. Length of specimens up to 8f\ inches. Length of head f, of pectoral -§-, of base of first dorsal -^-, of base of second dorsal -f-, of base of anal yT, of caudal ^- of the total length. Height of head f, of body nearly \, of first dorsal \, of second dorsal YJJ, of ventral \, of anal y-y of the total length. Eyes. Diameter \ of length of head ; 1 diameter apart, 1 diameter from end of snout. Body rather compressed, and about equally convex along both its dorsal and abdominal profiles. Mouth oblique, the posterior extremity of the maxilla extending to beneath the centre of the orbit; interorbital region rather convex. Both vertical and horizontal margins of the praeoperculum crenulated, angle slightly rounded. Two weak spines on operculum. Teeth. A n external row of ten or twelve conical and rather recurved teeth in the upper jaw, and an internal row of villiform teeth which are strongest in the posterior portion of the jaw. Also villiform teeth in the lower jaw with some conical ones intermixed, which are largest opposite to the symphysis. There are no large canines as in the 0. ruber. Fins. First dorsal somewhat triangular ; the second dorsal parallel to the back. Pectoral pointed, extending to opposite to the third or fourth dorsal ray. The anal commences under the posterior third of the second dorsal. Caudal cut rather square. Dorsal spines weak, the first short, second and third the longest; interspinous membrane very slightly emarginate. Dorsal rays only branched in their upper third. Second anal spine the longest, but rather weak; it is two-thirds the length of the first ray. Scales over head, opercles, cheeks, and praeorbitals passing in rows backwards and upwards above the lateral line, and in much the same direction below it. Lateral line in upper fourth of body, in single tubes with branching roots superiorly, and extending along the tail to its extremity. |