288 DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF AUSTRALIAN FISHES, 



947. Syng> t athus semifasctatus, Gunth. 



G until., Cat. Fishes VIII., p. 162. — L. semistriatus, Kaup. 



D. 38. Osseous rings 21 + 49. 



Lateral line interrupted. Adult females have the trunk strongly 

 compressed and rather elevated, its depth being one-fifth of its 

 length. The length of the snout is equal to the distance of the 

 anterior margin of the eye from the middle of the second body 

 ring. Head with fine stria), but without ridges. Shields smooth. 

 The length of the body is contained once and one-third in that of 

 the tail. Vent below the end of the anterior third of the dorsal 

 fin. Caudal fin well developed. Upper part of the trunk with 

 numerous, very small, light, dark edged ocelli, the lower part 

 with a narrow brown vertical bar on each ring. A white stripe, 

 edged with black above and below, runs from the lower part of 

 the snout, through the eye, over the gill-cover. 



South Australia, Tasmania, and Port Phillip. 



948. Syngnatiius pelagicus, L. 



Gunth., Cat. Fishes VIII., p. 165. 



D. 29-31. Osseous rings 17 + 32-35. 



The length of the snout equals the distance of the front margin 

 of the orbit from the root of the pectoral fin. A distinct ridge 

 along the median line of the nuchal shields ; supraorbital ridge 

 not continued over the temple ; anterior part of the operculum 

 with a faint ridge. Shields without spines. Lateral line inter- 

 rupted. Tail longer than the body ; caudal pouch short, about 

 half as loug as the body. Dorsal fin commencing somewhat in 

 advance of the vent. Caudal well developed. Lower half of the 

 side of the abdomen with vertical silvery bars, becoming broader 

 and of a whitish colour on the upper half. Brown cross bands 

 are placed alternately between the silvery bars, so that the brown 

 bands are grouped together in twos or threes, the bands of each 

 group more or less confluent. In males the silvery bars are 



