| OCR Text |
Show 158 ON FISHES N E W T O THE AUSTRALIAN F A U N A . [Mar. 19, Eye large, four thirteenths of the length of the head. Maxilla reaches beyond the anterior margin of the orbit. 3. Platystethus huttonii \ D. 13/36. A. 3/32. L. 1. 90. Eye moderate, two ninths of the length of the head. Maxilla not extending to the front margin of the orbit2. CHCEROPS OMMOPTERUS (Rich.). During the month of June 1888, I obtained in the Sydney market three adult examples of a Chcerops which I believe to be identical with Sir John Richardson's C. ommopterus ; but on account of certain constant differences in the pattern of coloration, I append a description of the life-colours, all three examples being exactly similar in this respect. They were of large size, measuring respectively nineteen, twenty, and twenty-four inches, and came from the Clarence River, New South Wales, this being the first recorded instance of the occurrence of the species within the colony, and extending its range southward by many degrees. The only difference, besides the coloration, between Dr. Giinther's description and my specimens is that in the latter there are in two but nine, and in the third ten scales, in an oblique row beneath the lateral line. The colours of the fresh fish are as follows :-upper part of head green, becoming gradually more tinged with blue towards the snout; cheeks and opercles olive; mandibular region pale violet; chin sky-blue ; edge of the maxillary lip with a narrow outer golden and inner blue stripe; anterior margin of the preorbital very narrowly edged with blue ; an oval sky-blue spot in front of the orbit, and extending to about one third of its diameter. Body olive-brown above the lateral line, rose-coloured below, most of the scales on the back and caudal peduncle with a medium-sized, round, blue spot; a broad dark band runs from the fifth scale of the lateral line forwards and downwards in an arcuate shape to the inferior margin of the opercle. Dorsal fin golden, the spinous portion with a basal, median, and marginal band of blue, the two outer of which are exchanged on the rays for wavy, anastomosing lines of the same shade ; anal fin grey, with a broad basal and marginal blue baud, bordered on the inner edge by a narrower golden stripe ; ventrals bluish, the membrane between the first and second rays golden ; pectorals grey, with two transverse golden bands in front of the base, and the two outer rays and basal third of the others blue; caudal brownish, with the outer rays blue, and the bases of the remainder green. Irides golden and crimson, with sky-blue marginal spots. Count Castlenau's Torresia australis, of which the type is unfortunately missing, is probably the young of Chcerops ommopterus. P.S. (Dec. 22, 1888).-Since writing the above I have received another large specimen from the same locality, which agrees exactly in coloration with those here described. 1 From Dr. Giinther's description (Ann. Nat. Hist. [4] xvii. 1876, p. 395) it appears to m e that this fish has quite as good a claim to separate generic rank as many other Carangoids the right of which has never been questioned. 2 Platystethus abbreviatus, Hector (Trans. N . Zealand Inst, vii 1875 p 247, pi. xi. f. 31 0), is a Cyttus. |
