FAMILY, I— SCLERODERMI. 695 



Genus, 5— Ostracion, Artedi. 



L(Bto]}Jirijs, Tetrosomus and Wiinesomus, Swains. : AcantJwstracion, Bleeker : Cihotimi, Kaup. 



Braiichiosterjals six. Body shortened and angular, with the integuments modified into a solid carapace 

 composed of angular osseous plates in juxtaposition with one another, but leaving the snout, bases of thefiiis, and the 

 hind portion of the tail, covered by soft shin. They may be destitute of spines or have them variously situated. The 

 carapace from three to five ridged, and closed behind the anal fin. Mouth small, premaxillaries and maxillaries 

 coalescent. Teeth slender and in one row. A single sjnneless dorsal fin placed opposite the anal. Ventrals absent. 



These fishes with their hard, box-like outer covering and angular form are easily recognised, and although 

 the species differ widely amongst themselves, the intermediate forms preclude the possibility of subdividing 

 them into Genera.* The spines observed on some of the species vary with the age of the individual. 



SYNOPSIS OF SPECIES. 



a. — Carapace 3-ridged, with or witlcout spines. 



1. Ostracion turritus. A compressed triangular dorsal, also a supraorbital spine: each ventral ridge 

 vrith 4 spines. A blue spot in each scute. Red Sea, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago. 



b. — Carapace 4 or b-ridged, spineless. 



2. Ostracion cubicus. No median dorsal ridge. A blue black-edged ocellus in the centre of most of the 

 scutes. Red Sea, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, and beyond. 



3. Ostracion punctatus. No median dorsal ridge. Numerous white dots, sometimes confluent into 

 lines. East coast of Africa, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, and beyond. 



4. Ostracion nasus. A median dorsal ridge. Black spots irregularly scattered over the body. Seas of 

 India to the Malay Archipelago, and the Pacific. 



c. — Carapace 4<-ridged, spines present. 



5. Ostracion cornutus. A supraorbital forwardly directed spine, and a similar one directed backwards 

 at the posterior extremity of each ventral ridge. Blue and black spots on body and tail. Red Sea, seas of 

 India to the Malay Archipelago, and beyond. 



a. — Ca.rapcvce 3-ridged, with or xvithout spines. 



1. Ostracion turritus, Plate CLXXXI, fig. 4. 



Ostracion gibbosus, Linn. Syst. Nat. p. 1443 ; Gmel. Linn. p. 1443 ; Kaup, Sclerod. p. 218 ; Giinther, 

 Catal. viii, p. 2.58. 



Ostracion turritus, Forsk. Desc. Anim. p. 7-5, No. 113 ; Bloch, t. 136 ; Gmel. Linn. p. 1442 ; Bl. Schn. 

 p. 600; Bonn. Ich. p. 22; Lacep. i, p. 470; Cuv. Regn. Anim.; Riippell, Atl. p. 5; Bleeker, Balist. p. 31, 

 Japan, p. 13, and Atl. Ich. v, p. 31, t. cciii, f. 3; Jerdon, M. J. L. and Sc. 18.51, p. 150; Hollard, Ann. Sc. 

 Nat. 18.57, vii, p. 156; Klunz. Fisch. Roth. Meer. 1871, p. 634. 



Chamean marin, Bonn. p. 22, t. 14, f. 47. 



Ostracion dromadaire, Lacep. i, p. 470. 



Tetrosomns turritus, Swainson, Fishes, ii, p. 323. 



Lactophrys camelinus, Dekay, New York Fauna, Fish. p. 341, t. Iviii, f. 190. 



Cttl-planchee, Tamil. 



D. 9, P. 10, A. 9, C. 10. 



Carapace 3-ridged, the superior or dorsal ridge being elevated and superiorly compressed into a sharp 

 triangular spine. Each lateral or ventral ridge well developed, and armed with 4 triangular, flattened and 

 strong spines directed backwards. Body about as wide as high, being of a triangular shape, the apex being 

 above. The carapace forms a moderately broad bridge across the back of the tail. A compressed supraorbital 

 spine directed upwards or a little backw^ards. Teeth — 12 in the upper and 8 in the lower jaw, conical, weak, 

 and of a brownish colour. Fins — dorsal and anal highest anteriorly : caudal rounded or truncated. Scutes — 

 from 9 to 11 from the gill-opening to the tail, 9 or 10 transversely : and about 11 across the ventral surface. 

 Colours — olive brown, with 3 badly marked dark bands in the lower 1/3 of the body, and a fourth just behind 

 the base of the dorsal fin. A light blue spot in the centre of each scute. Fins straw-coloured, the caudal 

 with two dark vortical bands, one at its base, the other at its outer extremity. The young have several dark 

 blotches and bands over various parts of the body, and a ridge extends from the orbit to the upper part of the 

 bridge over the tail. 



Habitat. — Red Sea, East coast of Africa, seas of India to the Malay Archipelago, and reported from 



* Except Genus Aracana, Gray, which I consider to be distinct, the carapace remaining unclosed behind the anal tin, 

 whereas it is closed in the various species of Ostracion. 



