187 

 149. Halosaurus carinicauda, Alcock. 



Ealosaurichthys carinicauda, Alcock, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Dec. 1889, p. 454: Illustrations of the Zoology 

 of the Investigator, Fishes, pl. VII. figs. 2, 2a. 



B. 12-13. D. 11. P. 14-15. V. 1/9. L. tr. 15-16 between D. and V. 

 Head and snout scaly. 



Length of the head about a seventh of the total and considerably less than 

 the distance between the gill-opening and the base of the ventral fin. 



Length of snout a little over a third that of the head, not quite two-fifths of 

 its extent is preoral. 



Major diameter of the eye not twice the width of the interorbital space, 

 about a seventh the length of the head and a little more than a fourth the length 

 of the postorbital portion. 



Maxilla not reaching the anterior margin of the orbit. 



Pterygoid band of teeth narrow, scarcely separated from the palatine 

 band. 



Seven or eight distant, short gill-rakers — in addition to some smaller ones — 

 on the outer side of the first branchial arch. 



Scales deciduous, except on the lateral line where they are but little en- 

 larged. Those of the lateral line number about 60 between the gill-opening and 

 the vent, beyond which they are separated from the anal fin, at first by two and 

 then by one series of scales. Some scales in the middle line behind the dorsal 

 fin are enlarged and elongated, and in the posterior part of the tail these are set 

 in a low median fold of skin. 



The dorsal fin begins about an eye-length behind the outermost ventral ray. 

 The pectorals are not quite equal in length to the post-rostral portion of the 

 head. 



The ventrals are coherent into a single plate, the union being membranous. 



Five or six extremely small and inconspicuous pyloric ca?ca. 



Colours : sepia-brown, the greater part of the head blackish. 



Length 15- inches. 



Andaman Sea, 490 fathoms. 



Regd. No. 11763. 



This species is very closely related to Halosaurus parvipennis, from which 

 it differs chiefly in having the ventral fins united with one another, the preoral 

 part of the snout much shorter, and the eyes smaller and farther apart. 



