Zoology.'] 



NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. [_Fishu. 



Plate 155. 



PELAMYS SCHLEGELI (McCoy). 

 The Melbourne Pelamyd. 



Genus PELAMYS (Cnv.). (Sub-kingdom Vertebrata. Class Pisces. Sub-class Teleostea. 

 Order Acanthopterygia. Family Scomberidas.) 



Gen. Char.— Body elongate, ovate; cleft of mouth large; teeth large, compressed, 

 irregular on jaws, smaller rows on palatine bones, none on Tomer. First dorsal continuous, 

 with moderately small spines reaching to the second dorsal, which is small ; anal small, 

 resembling the second dorsal ; seven to nine dorsal finlets, and six or more anal finlets ; caudal 

 deeply forked ; pectoral pointed ; ventrals small. Thoracic scales forming a distinct corselet ; 

 a prominent longitudinal keel on each side of tail. Seven branchiostegal rays. No air bladder. 

 Pyloric appendages branched.] 



D. 19 + D. 2 + 12 -f VIII; A. 2 + 11+ VI; V. 1 + 5; P. 25; C.^? 



Description. — Greatest height of body about ih in the leng-th of body 



without caudal fin, or five times, including it. Length of head one-fourth of total_ 



length. Diameter of eye twice in length of muzzle, and three times to edge of 



operculum behind; slightly less than one-sixth the length of the head. The 



posterior end of maxillary does not quite reach the vertical of posterior edge of eye. 



Nine compressed, slightly inarched teeth on dentary bone, and two large ones on each 



side of front of lower jaw. The row of small palatine teeth, about fourteen on each 



side. Teeth of upper jaw much smaller than those of lower jaw. Pre-operculum 



with numerous thick, wavy longitudinal ridges ; corselet not exceeding the tip of 



the pectoral in length. Lateral line with an upward, angular flexure under the 



sixth ray of dorsal, thence with slight undulations, largest under anal, to keel at 



middle of side of tail. Pectoral triangular, moderately pointed, rather less than 



one-eighth the length of the body, reaching as far as eighth spine of dorsal. 



Ventrals small, with a pointed scale at inner base of each. First dorsal commencing 



over anterior base of pectoral, second and third rays longest, gradually decreasing 



to anterior base of second dorsal. The last ray of the dorsal as counted above 



resembles one of the succeeding pinnides. Color : Back purplisb-lavender-grey, 



becoming paler and silvery on sides of head; body, and belly, with about eleven 



longitudinal dark streaks running nearly lengthwise; five under second dorsal and 



dorsal finlets, turning upwards obliquely to dorsal edge. Fms with blackish 



membranes and lighter rays ; the edges of the second dorsal, anal, and tips of the 



caudal lobes slightly yellowish. Iris pale-yellow. Measurements: Total length 



from tip of snout to end of body, excluding caudal fin, 1 ft. 8 in. Proportional 



measurements to length as 100 : Depth of body, -^ ; from tip of snout to end of 



operculirm, -^ ; to anterior edge of orbit, ^^0 > to posterior edge of orbit, j^^% ; 



to end of maxillary, -^-§1 ; to base of first dorsal, f-^-g ; to base of ventral, -^j^g ; 



to base of pectoral, 1%% ; to end of corselet, f'xnr 5 ^° ^°^^ ^^' tW ! to second 



dorsal, -1%% ; highest spine of first dorsal, ~^j; ; length of pectoral, j^yu > longest 



ventral ray, y^^; longest ray of second dorsal, yf^; longest ray of anal, ^-§5 ; 



longest ray of caudal lobes, ■^. Twelve scales in three lines under middle of first 



dorsal. 



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