Zoohgy.-] NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. ^Fishes. 



Plate 164. 



HETEROSCARUS MACLEAYI (McCoy). 



Macleay's Wrasse. 



[Genus HETEROSCARUS (Castlenau.) (Sub-kingdom Vertebrata. Class Pisces. Sub- 

 class Teleostei. Order Acanthopterygii. Sub-order Pharyngognathi. Family Labridas.) 



Oen. Cliar. — Upper jaw longer than the lower ; teeth united together, forming a sharp 

 cutting edge on both sides, with a distinct median suture in upper jaw ; indistinct or none in 

 lower jaw. Scales large ; 14 to 16 spinous rays in dorsal ; head without scales, granular and 

 porous ; cheeks with imbedded, impressed non-imbricating scales ; large scales on operculum ; 

 lateral line continuous. Australia.] 



D. 16 -f 8; A. 2 + 13; C. 14; P. 13; V. 1 -l- 4; L. lat. 33^^. 



Description. — Body oblong', compressed, heig'ht twice and two-thirds in total 

 length (without caudal); length of head nearly three times in same length; thickness 

 twice and a half in depth. Head semi-oval ; upper pair of anchylosed sets of teeth 

 overlapping; the under pair ; angle of mouth not reaching' level of anterior edge 

 of orbit. Three rows of large scales on the operculum; edge of operculum mem- 

 branous and smooth, except at angle, which is striated ; anterior part granular and 

 porous ; margin of preoperculura striated, edge serrated ; all the pieces of the head 

 with irregular, coarse granules ; forehead between the eyes very slightly convex. 

 Fins : Dorsal commencing at back of head, of 16 spinous and 8 jointed, branched 

 ra3's, first four rays longest and terminating in long, very slender, flexuous filaments; 

 jointed rays longer than immediately preceding spinous rays. Anal commencing 

 under about the tenth dorsal ray, of 2 spinous and 13 jointed branched rays, termi- 

 nating slightly behind the dorsal; caudal of 14 ray.s (shape uncertain). Ventrals 

 ovate, of 1 spine and 4 branched rays. Pectoral large, ovate, of 13 raj-s. Scales: 

 Large, rhombic, with concentric wrinkles of growth and very fine, longitudinal, rough 

 flexuous striae, serrating the posterior edge ; 33 along lateral line ; 5 above lateral 

 line at middle of body and 10 below. Colour: Head clouded with indian-red and 

 olive-green, passing to yellow ochre on throat ; one narrow band of ultramarine-blue, 

 edged with blackish-blue, extends with an uj)ward curve from middle of lip, touching- 

 bottom of orbit, and extending straight towards upper base of pectoral, but not 

 extending beyond the granular part of head on to the scales of operculum, which 

 are dull indian-red ; another, similar, blue streak goes from angle of mouth, a little 

 beyond vertical of posterior edge of orbit, with a few, irregular, broken streaks or 

 spots, to beyond edge of preoperculum ; a third, similar streak extends backwards 

 from middle of posterior edge of orbit to end of granular surface ; one or two 

 elongate, similar spots between this upper and the middle streak. Body with three 

 broad, longitudinal stripes of rich indian-yellow, the spaces between which, and also 

 the back, of a rich, reddish, purple, bfown, madder colour (like lees of red wine), 

 these three lateral stripes broken into spots at their posterior end, clouded on the 

 back, and spotted with green ; belly and end of tail sap green ; all the fin rays 

 green, except the pectoral, which has them orange-yellow with colourless membrane; 

 ventrals greenish at base and margin, with a broad intermediate band of dark green 

 beyond middle, edged with narrow margins of opal blue, like streaks of head ; anal 

 green at base, then dull orange, which is also at margin ; a broad intermediate band 



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