Zoology.'] NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. iFishes. 



Plate 183. 



TEMNODON SALTATOR (Lin. sp.). 

 The Skipjack. 



[Genus TEMNODON (Gov.). (Sub-kingdom Vertebrata. Class Pisces. Sub-class 

 Teleostea. Order Acanthopterygii. Pamily Caraugidas.) 



Oen. Char. — Body oblong, moderately compressed ; tail without keel or armature ; pre- 

 operculum striated and serrated at lower edge. .Taws with a row of strong, lancet-shaped 

 cutting teeth in front, and large bands of minute cardiform teeth on the palatine bones, vomer, 

 .and tongue. First dorsal fin of seven or eight slender spines with delicate membrane, capable 

 of being hid in a groove at base ; second dorsal and anal fins long, triangular, covered with a 

 thick, slightly scaly skin ; two minute spines, often hid in skin, in front of base of anal ; no 

 finlets ; ventrals thoracic; br.anchiostcgals seven ; a simple swim-bladder; pyloric .appendages 

 numerous ; scales moderate, subquadrate, ciliated and granulated posteriorly, with a faintly 

 marked fan of about five nays in front, extending over the operculum and cheeks ; the 

 suboperculura, interoperculum, lower part of preoperculum, snout, .and round eye bare.] 



D. 8 -f 1.23; P. 15; V. 1 -|- 5 ; A. (0, or 1, or 2) -|- 1.24; C. 20I-; 

 L.I. 85-90 ^-A^. 



Description. — Elong-ate ovate, depth nearly 44 in total leng-th, including- caudal 

 fin ; abruptly narrowed behind dorsal and anal fins ; head with profile descending 

 with slig-ht convexity ; end of maxillary reaching' nearly to vertical of posterior 

 margin of eye; lower jaw protruding in front of upper one; preoperculum striated 

 and distinctly serrated on lower edge; operculum with a deep notch, Laving two, 

 I'ounded, sub-angular lobes above base of pectoral ; first dorsal rounded, fourth ray 

 longest, eighth ra}' shortest; second dor.sal triangular, third ray longest; anal like 

 the second dorsal, and both covered with a thick, slightly scaly skin ; the two minute 

 spines in front of anal distinct in some small specimens, scarcely perceptible to the 

 touch in most adults, and only one in some specimens ; ventrals slightly behind the 

 pectorals, united at base; caudal of two pointed lobes with a deep angular indentation 

 in the middle. Teeth: About eleven on each side of lower jaw and nine on each side 

 of upper jaw of the large teeth, standing about their length apart; a row of very 

 small, simple, conical teeth behind the large ones in front of upper jaw ; a large 

 triangular patch of minute cardiform teeth en the vomer, and an elongate patch of 

 similar ones on each palatine bone, and a smaller oblong patch on each side of the 

 base of the tongue. Lateral line nearly coinciding with the line of the back, and at 

 about one-fourth the depth from it, with simple distinct tubes of about ninety scales ; 

 scales spinulose and serrated on posterior edge ; eight above and twenty below the 

 lateral line. Colour : Blackish-grey or lead colour above, with purplish and steel-blue 

 and green reflections in large specimens, blighter blue in young individuals; smooth 

 part of top of head blackish-purple ; cheeks and sides of body lighter than back, with 

 the reflections from the scales producing a longitudinally striped effect ; throat and 

 belly pearly-white; pectoral fin with dusky membrane, blackish at base, and with first 

 simple ray black; the spotted rays greyish, speckled with black, membrane dull 



[3U1 ] 



