Zooloyv.} NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. [Finhet. 



Plates 173 and 174. 



CHILODACTYLUS CARPONEMUS (Cuv. and Val.). 

 The Long-fingered Chilodactylus. 



[Genus CHILODACTYLUS (Cdv.). (Sub kingdom Vertebrata. Class Pisces. Sub-class 

 Teleostca. Order Acanthoptcrygii. Family Cirrliitidae). 



Geu. Char. — Oval, compressed ; moutli small. One dorsal fin, with 16 to 10 spines ; anal fin 

 of moderate length ; ventrals under about the middle of pectorals ; caudal forked ; lower rays 

 of pectoral unbrauched, one or more prolonged beyond the membrane. Teeth in villiform bands 

 on the jaws, outer row largest, but no canines ; no teeth on the vomer or palatine bones. Pre- 

 orbital and ])reoporculum entire. Scales of moderate size, cycloid. Cheeks and opercular pieces 

 scaly. Five or si.x branchiostegal rays. Air-bladder usually with many lobes. Temperate 

 regions of Pacific and ludiau Oceans.] 



B. 6*; D. 17 + 32t; C. 17; A. 3 + 19; V. 1 + 5; P. 15; L. 1. GG}^. 



Description. — Ovate, dorsal and ventral lines moderately convex, tapering 

 rapidh' to near ba.se of tail ; seven lower rays of pectoral simple, also the upper two ; 

 sixth pectoral ray from bottom longest, reaching horizontally to posterior edge of 

 row of scales running to eleventh ray of anal ; fifth ray from bottom also elongate, 

 but not reaching beyond the row of scales which forms anterior side of anus. Length 

 of head 4^ in total length including lower lobe of caudal ; greatest dejith 3^ in 

 same total length. Diameter of eye half the length of snout, 4^ in length of head. 

 Outer row of teeth strong and blunt, inner rows more slender and arched. Fifth and 

 sixth dorsal rays longest; first dorsal moderatel}- arched, outline only slightly rising 

 to second dorsal, the rays of which are more nearly equal. First ray of anal half the 

 length of second or third; all of them rather slender, second thickest. Scales on 

 plates of head small, about three rows of very small scales on edges of channel into 

 which the dorsal fins may be depressed. Colour.- Bluish slate gre}', fading to 

 white on lower edge of jaw and, belly, and brighter blue on top of head and snout. 

 Numerous narrow, flexuous, bright yellow lines radiate from the upper three-fourths 

 of the orbit, branching as they pass over the front ; three of the branches running 

 as narrow yellow lines below the base of dorsal. All the fin rays of the slate colour 

 of the body, those of the pectoral palest, nearly white, and the branched rays of the 

 dorsal with three rows of yellow spots ; membrane greyish, almost colourless, except 

 the caudal, which is nearly as dark as the body. Iris orange-yellow; lips pink. 

 Measurements : Length from tip of snout to base of caudal, 2 ft. 4 ins. Proportional 

 measurements to length of body, as 100: Tip of snout to edge of operculum, -i%V; 

 to anterior edge of orbit, -[-5%; diameter of orbit, -,;,-„ ; longest (third) branched ray 

 of pectoral, ,%'jj; longest simple ray of pectoral, ^^j'^; next below, ■f^)^; next below, 

 iVV; greatest length of ventral, j/ij; greatest height of spinous dorsal, -j-J^; 

 greatest height of branched dorsal, -yfj,^; length of upper lobe of caudal, -i^^; lower 

 lobe of caudal, ,-g"^; depth of body, -^'jP^. (I think the shortness of the u{)per lobe 

 of the tail in this specimen, the figured one, must be an accidental individual 

 peculiarity). 



Reference. — Hist. Poiss., v. 5, p. 3G2, t. 128. 



* Five long and a short anterior one. t Last two with one base. 



Vet. II.-Decade .\VIII.-2r. [ 267 ] 



