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Show 240 LIEUT.-COL. PLAYFAIR ON THE FISHES OF ZANZIBAR. [Apr. 8, sixth that of the body. Anterior dorsal spine filiform, terminating in a lanceolate trifid (or fringed ?) lobe ; its length is more than twice that of the second spine, which is about one-half that of the third. The third is remote from the soft dorsal, but connected with it by a low cutaneous fold. The end of the soft dorsal is remote from the base of the caudal; it is quite unconnected with it, and the last ray does not reach so far if laid backwards ; anal not half the length of the soft dorsal. There are a few very minute tentacles on the lower jaw, but none on the body. A cutaneous fold runs along the sides a little distance below and parallel to the base of the soft dorsal, than which it is somewhat shorter. Skin rough, covered with minute spines. Colour.-Ground-colour brownish, a large black patch extending over the whole of the abdominal region; other smaller mass-like patches below chin, on sides of head, on upper part of body, soft dorsal, anal, and across the tail; these sometimes anamostose and enclose spots of the ground-colour; several round ocelli above base of pectorals and on base of dorsal; all the patches and ocelli have light edges, as also have the pectoral and ventral fins. Length 4 inches. DIAGRAMMA ORIENTALE. Anthias orientalis, Bl. t. 326. f. 3. Serranus orientalis, Cuv. & Val. ii. p. 318. Diagramma orientale, Cuv. & Val. v. p. 299, pl. 124; Giinth. Fish. i. p. 326. D. sibbaldii, Benn. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1832, p. 182. Zanzibar. Seas of Ceylon and Bali. PROSOPODASYS LEUCOGASTER. Prosopodasys leucogaster, Richardson, Voy. Samarang, Zool. Fish. pl. 5. f. 1, 2; Giinth. Fish. ii. p. 141. Height of body less than length of head, and one-fourth of total. Lower jaw slightly prominent, cleft of mouth oblique; maxillary reaches slightly beyond centre of eye. Interorbital space much less than orbit. Prseorbital with two spines, of which the first is rather small, and the second very long. Infraorbital with bony ridges, but no distinct spine. Praeoperculum with five spines; the interoperculum with one, and the operculum with two bony ridges. The first dorsal spine is situated before the posterior of orbit; it and the two succeeding ones are contiguous with, but rather remote from, the remainder ; the third is the longest; the fourth is situated above the opercular margin. Caudal acutely rounded. Ventrals reaching to the vent, and pectorals much beyond it. Head and body naked. Colour brownish, marbled with darker and lighter. Upper part of head black; a black spot on spinous dorsal between fifth and eighth spine. Length 2\ inches. Zanzibar. |