Descriptions of Fishes from the Coast of Natal. 257 



FAMILY AULOSTOMATEID^. 



FlSTULARIA SERRATA, Bl. 



Depth of body about 40 times in total length excluding caudal, 

 length of head 2 1 times. Snout 8 times diameter of eye; the tube 

 into which the head is produced being very long, broader than high 

 near the base, the upper part marked by crenulated ridges and a 

 patch of striae radiating from a common centre a short distance in 

 front of the eyes, 2 ridges start from anterior angle of orbits, first 

 convergent then keeping a parallel direction, the lateral edge very 

 distinctly serrated and with strong spines posteriorly. Eye elongate, 

 ovate, nearly twice as long as high and protected anteriorly and 

 posteriorly by prominent angles of the frontal bones, the posterior 

 angles being serrated ; the bony ridge between the orbits narrow 

 and concave, its width f the vertical diameter of the eye. Crown of 

 head slightly convex, with crenulated striae ; nostrils close together 

 one before the other on upper surface of snout in front of anterior 

 angle of eye ; operculum nearly twice as long as high, obtusely 

 rounded behind ; gill-openings wide, extending upwards to middle of 

 base of pectorals ; lower jaw projects beyond upper and terminates 

 in a fleshy knob. 



Dorsal 13 ; situated in posterior sixth of body, higher than long, 

 the longest rays nearly equal the length of postorbital region of 

 head. Pectorals a little longer than longitudinal diameter of eye, 

 base slightly curved. Ventrals about f diameter of eye, composed 

 of 6 rays without a spine, widely apart from each other and their 

 distance from base of pectorals is ^ of their distance from base of 

 caudal. Anal 14 ; situated below dorsal and resembling it, but 

 slightly lower and not so pointed. Caudal (excluding the central 

 filament) is a little more than -i length of postorbital portion of 

 head; the central rays form an elongated filament about f length 

 of snout. 



The body is much depressed, twice as broad as high and without 

 scales. Lateral line commences on scapula, curves upwards to near 

 median line of back and descends shortly before origin of ventrals 

 and proceeds along middle of sides; from the vertical of origin of 

 dorsal fin the scutes are most distinctly marked, each armed with a 

 spine directed backwards and forming a serrated ridge along caudal 

 peduncle. 



Colour (of preserved specimqn), uniform brown. 



One specimen, 478 mm. in length, from Durban Museum. 



