53 



Distribution. American, European, and African coasts of N. Atlantic : Medi- 

 terranean : Seas of India and Archipelago : Seas of China and Japan. 



Key to the Indian species of the genus Lophius. 



I. Six dorsal spines, the last 3 of which form a continuous fin : — 



1. Pectorals broad : 3rd dorsal spine a simple filament ... L. indicus. 



2. Pectorals narrow : 3rd dorsal spine fringed with tags of 



skin ... ... ... ••• ... L, gracilimanut. 



II. Five dorsal spines, the last 2 rudimentary and hidden beneath the 



skin ... ... ... ... ••• L. mutilus. 



III. Four dorsal spines, the 4th not hidden ... ... ... L. lugubris. 



31. Lophius indicus, Alcock. 



lophius indicus, Alcock, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, Vol. LVIII. pt. 2, 1889, p. 302 : Illustrations of the Zoology 

 of the Investigator, Fishes, pl. XIX. fig. 3. 



B. 6. D. I. I. I. III. 8-9. A. 6-7. P. circ. 23. V. I. 5. 



Disk subcircular, half the total length, caudal included, fringed all round 

 with tassels of skin which also extend along the sides of the tail and caudal fin 

 and on to the dorsal surface of the pectoral fins. 



Two spines on the preorbital, and two on the elevated upper border of the 

 orbit. Humeral spine coarse, multifid. 



Byes very small, their diameter being about one-tenth the length of the 

 cephalic disk and about two-thirds the width of the interorbital space. 



Tongue hyoid and neighbouring parts of branchial arches coloured much 

 like the body. 



Depressible teeth of unequal size in 2 or 3 irregular series in both jaws, 

 the inner series the largest (especially in the lower jaw) and most regular. Two 

 teeth on either side of the vomer, and three or four along each palatine. 



First and third dorsal spines the longest, — rather over two-fifths the length 

 of the disk : the first spine a bristle ending in a large tuft, the second fringed 

 throughout, the third a simple bristle. Of the next three connected spines the 

 first is much the longest, the 2nd and 3rd being short. Caudal about a fifth the 

 total length (itself included). Pectorals broad and fan-like, all but the first 

 one or two and the last five or six rays being of approximately equal length. 



Colour in life, dorsal surface dark grey or brown with either a network 

 of fine black lines or numerous small black rings : ventral surface colourless. 



In the Indian Museum are eight specimens, the largest being just over five 

 inches long. 



Malabar coast, 28 fathoms, Bay of Bengal 25 to 60 fathoms, Gulf of 

 Martaban 67 fathoms, Andaman Sea 90 fathoms. 



