44 DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF AUSTRALIAN PISHES, 



Genus Nematocentris, Peters. 



Distinguished from Atherinichthys, by the presence of vomerine 

 and palatine teeth, absence of a lateral line, pungent first spine 

 of the two dorsal fins, the other spines of the first dorsal being- 

 flexible. 



925. Nematocentris nigrans, Richards. 



Atherina nigrans, Richards., Ann. and Mag., Nat. Hist., 184.5, 

 XI., p. 180. Nematocentris splendida, Peters, Monatsb. Ak. 

 Wiss., Berlin, 1866. 



D. 1/4/1/12. A. 1/18. L. lat. 35. L. transv. 10. 



The height of the body is one-fourth of the total length, the 

 length of the head one-fifth ; the diameter of the eye equals the 

 length of the snout (in mature specimens) and is nearly one-fourth 

 of the length of the head. The first dorsal spine pungent, the 

 others filiform ; the last dorsal rays produced, reaching to the 

 base of the caudal. The ventrals end in a thread-like tip which 

 overlaps the commencement of the anal. The dorsal and anal fins 

 commence in nearly the same vertical. An even black stripe 

 replaces the usual silvery band and is continued forward over 

 the gill-cover, upper half of the eye, and sides of the snout ; it 

 occupies the fifth series of scales and the adjoining parts of the 

 fourth and sixth. Length three inches. 



Freshwaters of Port Essington, Severn River, Pitzroy, Clarence 

 and Brisbane Rivers. 



626. Nematocentris pusilla, Casteln. 



Zantecla pu&illa, Casteln., Proc. Zool. Soc, Victoria, Vol. II., p. 88. 



D. 1/5/1/9. A. 1/17. L. lat. 35. L. transv. 10. 



Height of body three times and a-third in the total length, 

 diameter of eye twice and one-third in the length of the head ; 

 head attenuated and pointed ; lower jaw longer and thicker than 

 the upper. The first dorsal fin is inserted at an equal distance 



