170 CONTRIBUTIONS TO AUSTRALIAN ICHTHYOLOGY, 



Type: — Ejnnejjhelides leai. 



Distribution : — West Australia. 



This genus differs from Gilhertia in the striated scales, pro- 

 minent lower jaw, three-spined opercle, number of anal spines, 

 non-dilatation of the lower pectoral rays, emarginate caudal, and 

 backward extension of the posterior process of the premaxillaries. 



The first soft ray of the anal fin is simple and spine-like, much 

 shorter than the second, being in fact scarcely or not longer than 

 the enormously developed second spine, and though it is con- 

 spicuously articulated throughout two-thirds of its length, it is 

 quite possible that this may be an accidental variation peculiar 

 to the individual and not constant, in which case the anal spines 

 would be of the normal number, three. It is on this account 

 that I have not laid much stress on this character, preferring to 

 wait until other examples are available for comparison. 



I am not fully satisfied as to the advisability of associating 

 Plectropoma semicinctum, Cuvier and Valenciennes,* and P. 

 annulatum, Giinther,! with P. nigroruhr-um, C.V.,| as it appears 

 to me that the strongly marked lateral line with its differently 

 constructed tubes, is worthy of more consideration than has so 

 far been given to it. Fortunately there is no need to seek for a 

 new generic designation, since the two former would still remain 

 under the name Gilbertia,^ of which P. seinicinctu7n is the type, 

 while the latter is the sole representative of Hypoplectrodes,\\ Gill, 

 •defined by Poey in 1871.^ 



Epinephelides leai, sp.nov. 



D. X. 20. A. ii. 8. Sc. 6/76/29. L.l. 64. 



Depth of body 2|, length of head 2§ in the total length. 

 Dorsal profile of body more strongly arched than the abdominal; 



* Hist. Nat. Poiss. ix. p. 442, 18.33. 



t Catal. Fish. i. p. 158, 1859, Port Jackson. 



X L.c. li. p. 402, 1828. 



§ Jordan and Eigenmann, Bull. U.S. Fish. Comm. viii. 1890, p. 346. 



li Proc. Ac. Nat. Sc. Philad. 1862, p. 236. 



H Ann. N. York Lye. Nat. Hist. x. p. 45, 1871. 



I 



