Zoology.-] NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. [Fishes. 



Plate 123. 



CHIRONECTES BIFURCATUS (McCoy). 

 The Two-pronged Toad-fish. 



[Genus. CHIRONECTES (Cuv.) > ANTENNARIUS* (Comm.). (Sub-kingd. Vertebrata. 

 Class Pisces. Sub-class Teleostea. Order Acanthopterygia. Fam. Pediculati.) 



Gen. Char. — Of moderate size, and compressed, ovate form; head moderate, compressed 

 laterally. Three anterior dorsal rays, separate, and in front of dorsal fin, which has no other 

 spines ; the 1st ray forming a flexible tentacle over the snout ; the 2nd and 3rd are stout spines. 

 Mouth nearly vertical when closed. Jaws and palatine bones set with many rows of small, 

 cardiform teeth. Tongue smooth. Aperture behind the four gills very small, oval, placed on 

 pedicle of pectoral fin. Eyes near snout and top of head ; opercular pieces covered by the 

 skin ; only half of anterior branchial arch with gills ; no pseudo branchiae Stomach wide ; no 

 pyloric appendages ; an air-bladder. Soft dorsal longer than anal fin. Pectorals pedunculated 

 by elongation of carpal bones.] 



Description. — Broad, ovate, moderately compressed ; depth half the length 

 to end of caudal, and twice the thickness ; head compressed, profile descending 

 obliquely from nape ; mouth nearly vertical. First dorsal spine or filament with a 

 slender, cylindrical stem, three-fourths the length of second spine, surmounted by 

 a thickened portion divided into two thick, equal, cylindrical, tapering branches, and 

 two short, fiat, lateral flaps ; second ray thick, bony, terminating in 5 blunt 

 tubercles, and having numerous long-, branching filaments on its anterior face; 

 third spine like the second, but terminating in 8 or 10 soft tubercles, and with a 

 slight, membranous extension from back of lower third of base, and with numerous, 

 branching filaments from front face, far larger than those of second ; dorsal fin of 

 13 thick soft rays (two last with one base), projecting about one-fourth beyond 

 membrane, and with numerous, branching filaments from sides; caudal fin with 9 

 rays, set with branching filaments ; anal fin with fleshy base and 8 or 7 rays set with 

 few branching filaments; pectoral of 11 thick rays, set with very short, branching- 

 filaments on upper surface ; ventrals with 5 thick rays, with few, very short, branched 

 filaments on upper side ; whole surface of body set with filaments bi- or tri-fid at 

 end, 6 or 7 lines long on back, about 2 lines long on belly, longest on sides of head, 

 throat, and lips; 2 very large and 3 smaller above the eye, and 2 smaller below it; 

 skin smooth, or with blunt, conical tubercles between the filaments. Color : Whole 

 body mottled with olive, pale yellow and light green, and with several large, irregular 

 clouds of very dark brown, largest one over base of pectoral, next half way to base of 

 tail, where a third conspicuous one usually appears ; inside of mouth and tongue 

 pale green, with opaque, pearly-white, cloudy spots ; all the filaments orange ; no 

 spots on fin rays ; eye with radiating bands of pale and dark green ; anterior dorsal 

 ray with the basal filament transversely banded with brown. 



* As Commerson'e name, Antennarius, was not published, but only written on his drawing, it is more according to 

 rule to adopt the name Chironectes, published tor fishes of the genus by Cuvier. 



Vol. II.— Decade XIII.— o. [ 87 ] 



