FAMILY, XVI— CARA^GID^. 227 



1. Micropteryx chrysurus. 



Scomher chrysurus, Lmn. Sysfc. i, p. 494 ; Bl. Sclin. p. 33. 



Scomber chloris, Bloch, t. 339 ; Bl. Schn. p. 27. 



Micropteryx cosmopolita, Agass. in Spis, Pise. Bras. p. 104, t. lis. 



Seriola cmmopolita, Cuv. Reg. Anim. ; Cuv. and Val. ix, p. 219, pi. 2.59 ; Dekay, New York, Fauna, Fishes, 

 p. 129; Holbr. Ich. Soutli Carolina, p. 77, pi. xi, f. 1; Guich. Poiss. ia Sagra, Hist. Cuba, p. 117; Jerdon, 

 M. J. L. and So. 18.51, p. 137. 



Scomber latus, Gronov. ed. Gray, p. 127. 



Chloroscombrus costiwpolita, Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Phil. 18.58, p. 1G8. 



Chloroscombrus Oaribceus, Girard, 1. c. 



Micropteryx chrysurus, Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 460 ; Kner, Novara Fiseke, p. 101 ; Blocker, Fisk. New 

 Guinea, p. 84. 



B. yii, D. 7 1 ^l^, P. 18, V. 1/.5, A. 2 | ^\^, C. 17, C^e. pyL 10-15, Vert. 10/14. 



Length of head 4f to .5J, of caudal 4| to one-fifth, height of body 2-| to one-third in the total length. 

 Eyes — diameter 3-1- in the length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout, and 3/4 apai't. Body high and very 

 compressed : the abdominal more convex than the dorsal profile. Greatest width of the head equals 2/5 of its 

 length ; its height equals its length. Cleft of mouth almost vertical, it commences opposite the upper edge of the 

 orbit, the lower jaw the longer and its end forming part of the dorsal profile when the mouth is closed : the 

 maxilla reaches to below the first third of the eye. Teeth — fine ones on both jaws, vomer, palate, and 

 tongue. Fins — dorsal spines weak, increasing in length to the third which is nearly as high as the anterior portion 

 of the soft dorsal, and 1/5 of the height of the body. Pectoral falciform and 3| to 3| in the total length. 

 Ventral short and equal to 1/5 the height of the body. Anal similar to second dorsal. Caudal forked. Scales — 

 small, present behind the eyes and over the body, also forming a sheath for the bases of the dorsal and anal 

 fins. Lateral-line — forms rather a strong cui've in the first third of its course. Colours — greenish along the back, 

 becoming silvery on the sides and beneath. A dark blotch over the free portion of the tail.. Ventrals white. 



Jerdon observed that this species is tenned Tergaree parah. Tarn, at ]\Iadras. 



Habitat. — This fish frequents the West coast of Africa and the Atlantic coasts of America : it has also 

 been captui-ed at Pondicherry. 



Genus, 3 — Seriola, Cuv. 



Branchiostec/als seven : pseudobrancMoi. Body oblong and moderately compressed : abdomen rounded. 

 Cleft of mouth sometimes deep. Preopercle entire. Villiform teeth in the jaws, vomer, and palatine bones. First 

 dorsal fin continuous, its spines not strong, the second dorsal and anal with many more rays : as a nole a pair of 

 pre-a/iial spines, remote from the rest of the fin. Scales small or rudimentary. Lateral-line unarmed. Air-vessel 

 simple. Pyloric appendages many. 



Geographical distribution. — Nearly all temperate and tropical seas. 



SYNOPSIS OF INDIVIDUAL SPECIES. 



1. Seriola nigrofasciata, D. 5-6 | -^l^^, A. y^lyy. Five or six broad vertical bands on the body : a dark 

 spot on either lobe of caudal. Red Sea, through the seas of India, to the Malay Archipelago and beyond. 



1. Seriola nigrofasciata, Plate LI, fig. 6. 



Nomeus nigrofasciatus, Riipp. Atl. Fische, j). 92, t. xxiv, f. 2. 

 Seriola binotata ? Cuv. and Val. ix, p. 215 ; Cantor, Catal. p. 137. 

 Seriola Ruppellii, Cuv. and Val. ix, p. 216 ; Bleeker, Makr. p. 73. 



Seriola nigrofasciata, Riipp. N. W. Fische, p. 51 ; Giinther, Catal. ii, p. 465 ; Klunz. Verh. z. b. Ges. 

 Wien, 1871, p. 450. 



B. vii, D. 5-6 I ^^1^, P. 19, V. 1/5, A. ^1^, C. 19. 



Length of head from 3| in the young to 4^ in the adult, of caudal 5^ to one-sixth, height of body 3^ to 

 one-foui'th of the total length. Eijes — diameter 1/4 of length of head, 1 diameter from end of snout. Dorsal 

 profile more convex than that of the abdomen ; snout rather obtuse ; abdomen broad. Lower jaw rather the 

 longer. Cleft of mouth commences ojjposite the centre or lower thii-d of the front edge of the eye, the maxilla 

 reaches to below the middle or hind third of the eye. Teeth — villiform in jaws, vomer, palate, and on the tongue. 

 Fins — first dorsal spines weak, low, from 1/3 to 1/2 the height of the second dorsal, the anterior portion of which 

 latter equals fi-om 1/2 to 2/3 of that of the body. Pectoral 2/3 as long as the head. Ventral nearly as long as 

 the head. Anal commences below the middle of the soft dorsal. Caudal forked. Scales — minute. Colours — 

 bluish gray, with five vertical black bands from the back down the body, and which have a rather anterior 

 direction above the lateral-line : one or two similar but narrower bands on the head. First dorsal fin black, 

 second dorsal dark, becoming black near its summit and with a white tip. Pectoral yellow. Ventral and anal 

 black, the latter with a white tip. Caudal yellowish, the young having a black blotch in the last portion of 

 either caudal lobe. 



Jerdon (M. J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 137) observes on the affinity of the Madras fish with S. binotata, C.V. 

 and terms it Mooskoom parah, Tamil. 



2 G 2 



