180 THE FISHES OF MALABAR. 



Eyes Oval and situated in the anterior half of the head. Horizontal diameter ^, vertical 



diameter ) of length of head, 2 diameters from end of snout, 2 J diameters apart. 



Head broader than high, rather flattened above and its width equal to three quarters of its 



length. 



Snout obtuse, opening of mouth transverse, its cleft equals half the distance to the anterior 

 margin of the orbit, upper jaw the longest. Opercle radiated, with some irregular roughened lines 

 crossing the radiations. Central longitudinal groove rather shallow anteriorly, but deep poste- 

 riorly : widest opposite the posterior margin of the orbits, passing anteriorly as far as to opposite 

 the posterior nostril, and posteriorly to the opposite posterior end of the opercles. Occipital 

 process longitudinally keeled, as high as wide, its superior extremity rather convex where it joins 

 the basal bone of the dorsal fin, which is rather broad, and as well as the whole of the occipital 

 process is covered with raised nodules, which extend nearly as far forwards as the orbit, and down 

 towards the shoulder. Nostrils approximating, situated in the anterior half of the distance between 

 the orbit and the end of snout ; the anterior one circular, the posterior crescent-shaped and covered 

 by a valve. Shoulder bone covered with round and oval depressions. Maxillary cirri reach to the 

 posterior extremity of opercle. There are two pairs of mandibular cirri extending as far as the 

 base of the pectoral or slightly further. 



Teeth — By an evident misprint, Hamilton Buchanan states, that the palatine teeth are sharp 

 and those in the jaw granular, which statement should be reversed. The teeth in the inter- 

 maxillaries are in a sharp crowded band, about a fourth as wide as long : in the lower jaw they are 

 also sharp and crowded. The palatine teeth are rounded, and placed like a pavement, in two large 

 rhomboidal patches, converging behind, but rather more widely separated in front. 



Fi ns — Dorsal commences opposite the middle of the pectoral, and the ventral midway between 

 the angle of the mouth and the centre of the base of the caudal : the anal arises about midway 

 between the posterior extremity of the pectoral, and the base of the caudal : the adipose dorsal 

 is situated over the last half of anal. Dorsal fin pointed, spine strong, equal to the distance from 

 the posterior nostril to the posterior extremity of the opercle, it is flattened, roughened by lines 

 laterally, and extended into a soft point longer than the rays ; its spine is nodulated anteriorly, 

 and serrated in its upper half : also serrated posteriorly. Pectoral spine equal to the distance 

 from the anterior angle of the orbit, to the posterior extremity of the opercle, it is shorter than 

 that of the dorsal, and ends in a soft point : it is flattened and roughened in lines laterally, and 

 serrated in its whole anterior and posterior extents. The sixth anal ray is the highest, and the 

 external margin of the fin is slightly concave. Caudal lobed, and extended laterally, so that its 

 posterior margin is semicircular. 



Lateral line — At first curves slightly upwards, opposite the dorsal spine bends downwards to 

 opposite the commencement of the anal, from whence it proceeds direct to the base of the caudal, 

 where it divides into two branches, the upper one crossing over the three rays above it, and the 

 lower one over the bases of the three rays below. 



Colours — Back of a dusky bluish purple, which becomes almost white below the lateral line, 

 the whole shining with silvery reflections. Dorsal, anal, pectoral, and caudal finely and minutely 

 dotted with small black points, as is also the abdomen : ventral, anal, and caudal stained with red. 

 Adipose fin with a large blackish spot. 



Not uncommon. Eaten by the lower classes. Grows to three feet in length. 

 Habitat — Seas and estuaries of India. 



