No. 3 (1922) GREY MULLETS OF TUTICORIN 87 



Colour. — The tips of the dorsal and caudal fins are dark ; the 

 iris is also dark in colour ; there is usually a dark spot above the 

 centre of the eye. 



This species attains to a fair size ; specimens 17 cm. or 20 cm. 

 in length are commonly met with. 



MUGIL KELAARTII Giinther. 



D. 4 ! 1/8. A. 3/9- L- 1. 33-34- L. tr. n-12. 



On the whole, the descriptions given by Day for M. cunnesius 

 and M. kelaartii are fairly similar ; Giinther's accounts for these two, 

 however, differ markedly. While the Tuticorin specimens agreed 

 almost equally with either M. cunnesius or M. kelaartii as described 

 by Day, they conform decidedly more to Giinther's M. kelaartii than 

 to his M.' cunnesius; further, Giinther records M. kelaartii as a 

 Ceylon form, and it is likely that it would also be found at 

 Tuticorin. 



For rapid identification, the following characters will be found 

 sufficient : — • 



(1) The upper surface of the head rather convex. 



(2) The knob-like end of the maxilla is not visible at the 

 angle of the mouth, when the latter is closed. 



(3) The pectoral fin reaches to, or slightly beyond, the origin 

 of the first dorsal fin. 



(4) An elongated scale is present in the axil of the pectoral fin. 



(5) Colour : a definite black spot at the upper base of the 

 pectoral fin, and the tips of both dorsals and the caudal black. 



The detailed characters are as follow : — 



Adipose lids. — 'Present ; large, but neither is "fleshy ", and as a 

 rule, neither quite reaches the pupil. Giinther remarks that they 

 are " very broad, covering the greater part of the iris, " but Day 

 states that both posterior and anterior eyelids are narrow — a 

 remarkable contradiction of the original description by Giinther. 



Interorbital space. — Rather convex; i.y 2 to 1% times the 

 diameter of the eye in width. 



Uncovered chin space. — Usually narrow, constricted in the 

 middle and rounded anteriorly. 



Mandibular angle. — The angle formed by the union of the two 

 rami of the lower jaw, measured in degrees is variable. Some speci- 

 mens shewed 105, others 112 degrees, but the commonest angle 



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