THE GAME FISHES OF THE PERSIAN GULF. 128 



The lirst caranx that presents itself for discussion is locally termeOl the 



KusH. 



Caranx ciliaris (?) 



The following description was recorded from a specimen weighing 4 lbs. 



Head. — Deep and compressed, mouth on the smallish side, but capable 

 of considerable protrusion. 



Teeth. — Villiform on both jaws, palatines, and whole upper surface of 

 tongue extending to gullet, both above and below. 



Eye. — Large and protruding, iris yellow after death. 



Ftns anterior dorsal. — Six sharp spines connected with transparent 

 membrane. 



Posteiior dorsal. — Commences moderately close to termination of anterior 

 dorsal, rayed and continued by a connected fringe up to a point distant 

 from the root of the caudal equal to space between anterior and posterior 

 dorsal ; the fringe terminates in a slightly elongated ray. 



Pectoral. — Long, slender, narrow, delicate and graceful. 



Pelvic. — Short and stiff and folding into a depression with anus situated 

 at posterior end of this slot. 



Anal. — Commences posteriorly to the anus at a distance equal to double 

 the space between the anterior and posterior dorsals ; the initial ray is 

 long and flexible ; the rays in the anal gradually shorten and the anal 

 proper is continued towards the tail by a fringe similar to the posterior 

 dorsal fringe ; it terminates also in a slightly elongated ray. 



Caudal. — Rayed and deeply forked. 



Scales. — Absent. 



Lateral line. — Starts at upper termination of gill opening in an ascending 

 curve descending to a point on the centre line about ^rds length of whole 

 body to fork of tail. It is ridged throughout, but becomes slightly keeled 

 towards free portion of tail. 



Body. — Deep and compressed. 



Colour. — After death a band of steely blue commences above ej^es and 

 runs between lateral line and back up to caudal, broad at its commence- 

 ment and tapering towards the tail. Above and below this band there is 

 a space of brilliant iridescence. From the commencement of posterior 

 dorsal to end of dorsal fringe, the space above this longitudinal band, is 

 barred vertically from the base of each ray to the band with steely blue. 

 Below longitudinal band and above lateral, line there is a row of large 

 steely blue spots. Between the lateral and centre lines there are steely 

 blue markings. Above the anal fin and fringe is a longitudinal band and 

 transverse bars similar to the dorsal band and bars. 



Remarks. — The maximum weight to which this fish grows would be about 

 12 to 1.5 lbs. 



The next caranx of which observations w^ere noted bears the local name 

 of 



KOBDAR. 



Caranx speciosus (?) 



Weight of fish examined = 2^ lbs. 



The kobdar is very similar in appearance and conformation to the kush, 

 but the following differences were remarked. 



Head. — Much more convex. 



Teeth, — Absent on jaws and palate. 



Eye. — Relatively smaller and iris silver. 



Marks. — The steely blue marks are similar to those on the kush, but in 

 addition 7 broad bands run vertically from back almost to belly. 



