150 "ENDEAVOUR" SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



Wales, ii., 1878, p. 006. Id., Kluuzinger, Sitzb. Akacl. 

 Wiss. Wien., Ixxx.i., 1879, p. 367, Id., Macleay, Proc. 

 Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales, v., 1881, p. 586. 



Platycephalw staigeri, Kent, Great Barrier Reef , 1893, p. 292, 

 pi. Ixiii., fig. 6 (not of Castelnau). 



D. viii-ix. 11 ; A. 11 ; P. 19-20 ; V. i. 5 ; C. 11 ; L. lat. 54. 

 Head 2f-2T 9 o in the length to the hypural, with spines and 

 ridges which terminate in spines. Supraocular ridge usually 

 with four spines posteriorly, and followed hy a series of radiating 

 ridges. Well formed scales cover the operculum, and postor- 

 bital portion of the preoperculum. Eye about one and a half in 

 the snout, with a large branched tentacle above. Interorbital 

 space deeply concave, two-fifths to almost one-half the diameter 

 of the eye. Maxillary reaching to below the anterior third or 

 nearly to the middle of the eye. Bony stay of cheek with one 

 or two weak spines ; preoperculum with two short spines which 

 are subequal, or the upper is a little the longer. Teeth minute, 

 subequal, the inner ones a little larger than the others. They 

 form a broad band on the upper jaw, and a narrower one on the 

 lower ; two parallel bands on the vomer, and a narrow one on 

 each palatine. 



Scales before the dorsal fin well developed ; those of the lateral 

 line not enlarged and scarcely distinguished from the others 

 posteriorly. There are from. 95-110 and (i3-65 rows above the 

 lateral line according to the direction in which they are counted. 

 Caudal more or less rounded. 



Upper surfaces brown or blackish and sharply separated from 

 the light colour of the lower surface on the sides of the head and 

 body. Some striking brown spots below the eye. Seven distinct 

 bands cross the back, of which three correspond with the first 

 dorsal, three with the second, and one or sometimes two are on 

 the caudal peduncle. All the fins are spotted and variegated with 

 brown and white, and the dorsal and caudal are crossed by fine 

 blackish streaks. 



The above diagnosis is drawn up from nine specimens, 225- 

 300 mm. long. 



Locs. Five were preserved in the " Endeavour " collection 

 from off Hervey Bay, Queensland, July 27th, 1910. Others are 

 in the Australian Museum from Moreton Bay, and Murray 

 Island, Torres Strait. 



