FAMILY, I— SCLERODERMT. 685 



In fishes of this genus, the proportions of tlie height of the body, the length of the head and extent of 

 the spines vary with age, and also in individuals of the same species. 



Geographical distrihidion. — From the shores of Beloochistan, through the seas of India to those of 

 Australia. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



1. Triacanthus hrevirostris. Snout of moderate length : second dorsal spine of same length as third : 

 length of base of anal 2/3 of length of head. A black blotch on first dorsal fin. Seas of India to the Malay 

 Ai'chipelago, and beyond. 



2. Triacanthus drigUifer. Snout elongated : second dorsal spine three times as long as third : leng-th of 

 base of anal 1/2 of length of head. Yellow blotches and lines on body. Madras to Malay Archipelago and 

 beyond. 



1. Triacanthus brevirostris, Plate CLXXV, fig. I. 



Batistes, Russell, Fish. Vizag.a, p. 14, and Bomree or Ahatoo, pi. 21. 



Batistes hiaculeatus, Bennett, Fish, of Ceylon, p. 1.5, pi. xv ; Cantor, Catal. p. 360; Bleaker, Madura, 

 p. 6 ; Jerdon, M. J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 149 ; Day, Fish. Mai. p. 260. 



Triacanthus Russellii, Bleeker, Beng. p. 80. 



Triacanthus brevirostris, Temm. and Schleg. Fauna Japon. Poiss. p. 294, t. 129, f. 2 ; Hollard, Ann. Sc. 

 Nat. 18.54, i, p. 45, t. 2, f. 1 ; Bleeker, en Pise. p. 196, Atl. Ich. v, p. 91, pi. ccxxxi, f. 3 ; Giinther, Catal. 

 viii, p. 209. 



Triacanthus rhodopterus, Russellii, Nieuhofi and Irachjsoma, Bleeker, Balist. pp. 25, 26, t. 4, f. 8 and 9, 

 Banka, p. 459, Amboina, p. 128, and Atl. Ich. v, p. 92, t. ccxvii, f. 3. 



Balistes bipes, Gronov. ed. Gray, p. 37. 



Satura, Ooriah : Moolean, Tamil.: Ko-tah-thoo-laij-po-dah, Andamanese: Anhatilla, Cingalese: Tur. 

 goorch, Beloochistan. 



B. vi, D. 6/22-25, P. 14, V. 1. A. 16-20, C. 12. 



Length of head 4| to 4f , of caudal 4^ to 4f , height of body 3^ to Sy in the total length. Eyes — ■ 

 high up, diameter 1/4 of length of head, 2^ diameters from the end of .snout and Ij apart. A considerable 

 rise from the snout to the first dorsal fin, and an elevation opposite the orbits. Teeth — outer row in upper jaw 

 consisting of 8 compressed cutting teeth, the inner row 6 in number rounded, and the two centre ones the 

 longest : in the mandibles 10 in the outer and 2 in the inner row, smaller than but otherwise simQar to those 

 in the upper jaw. Fins — first dorsal spine very strong, longer than the head in the immature, of about equal 

 length or shorter in the adult : second and third spines weak and of about equal length : dorsal tins close 

 together in the very young, not so in the adult. Anal highest anteriorly, its lower edge concave, the length of 

 its base 2/3 of that of the head : ventral spine slightly shorter than that of the first dorsal : pectoral short and 

 rounded: caudal deeply lobed. Colours — silvery, with a black spot on the first dorsal fin, and which extends a 

 short distance on to the back : usually a dark supraorbital blotch. 



Bennett observes that it is generally found in deep water, and rarely on the Southern coast of Ceylon : 

 by the native fishers it is considei'ed wholesome food. In India it is rejected, except by the lowest classes. 

 Russell remarks that these fish are caught in such vast numbers after the month of May, as to injure the nets. 



Triacanthus biaculeatus, Bloch, bears a considerable resemblance to this species, but has the snout 

 much more elongated. Bleeker considered the relative height of the body in T. Nieuhofi, as greater than in 

 T. hrevirostris, and that it had a shorter and more obtuse head. 



Habitat. — Seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, and beyond ; attaining at least 9§ inches in length. 



2. Triacanthus strigilifer, Plate CLXXV, fig. 2. 



Cantor, Catal. Mai. Fish, p. 363, pi. 9; Bleeker, Amboina, p. 97, and Atl. Ich. v, p. 89, t. cclxxix, f. 3 ; 

 Jerdon, M. J. L. and Sc. 1851, p. 149 ; Giinther, Catal. viii, p. 211. 



Triacanthus longirostris, Hollard, Ann. Sc. Nat. 1854, i, p. 46, t. 2, f. 3. 

 Rama moolean, Tamil. 



B. vi, D. 5/22, P. 14, V. 1, A. 15-16, C. 12. 



Length of head 4 to 4^, of caudal 5, height of body 3j in the total length. Eyes — high up, diameter 

 34 to 3| in the length of head, 2j diameters from end of snout and \\ apart. The upper profile between the eye 

 and snout rather concave. Teeth— 8 compressed and cutting ones form the outer row in upper jaw, whilst the 

 inner row consists of 4 rounded ones : 10 similar ones in the outer and 2 in the inner row of the lower jaw. 

 Fins — first dorsal spine very strong and longer than the head, the remaining ones weak : the second being 

 more than 1/2 as long as the head, and 3 times as long as the third : fins otherwise similar to those of the 

 last species, except that the length of the base of the anal is only about 1/2 of that of the head. Colours — 

 silvery, with some wide irregular yellow lines and blotches on the head and body. 



Ilabitat. — M-a.driis to the J\Ialay Archipelago, China, and the Philippines. The example figured was 

 from Madras. 



