372 FIVE NEW FISHES FROM THE AUSTRALASIAN REGION, 



beneath the twelfth dorsal spine ; its last ray has only a minute 

 membrane : ventral rays subequal, not nearly reaching to the 

 vent, four-sevenths of the length of the head : pectorals pointed, 

 the sixth ray the longest, extending to the vertical from the first 

 anal ray, two-thirds of the head : caudal small and euiarginate, 

 8^ in the total length. Scales minute, the head naked with 

 namerous series of small open pores. Lateral line curving down- 

 wards above the vent. 



Colours. — Deep purplish red above, the sides of the head mottled 

 red and yellow ; a dark spot in front and a dark vertical band 

 below the eye ; below the lateral line the ground colour is paler, 

 and is crossed by several dark transverse bands : dorsal and anal 

 fins transpai'ent, the former with six, the latter with eight 

 transverse purple bands, the rays banded gray and yellow ; 

 ventrals, pectorals, and caudal pale yellow with transverse series 

 of sma'll red spots. 



This handsome and very distinct species was obtained by my 

 friend, Mr. Thomas Whitelegge, under stones between tidemarks 

 Oil the oyster beds at Jervis Bay. The length of the specimen is 

 55 millimetres. 



I have great pleasure in naming it after its discoverer. 

 Type in the Australian Museum, Sydney. 

 Register number, I. 3175. 



Ophioclinus. 



Ophioclinus, Casteln. Proc. Zool. Soc. Vic. 1873, ii. p. 69. 



Scleropteryx, De Vis (Museum name). 



Branchiostegals five. Body elongate and compressed, tseniiform. 

 Snout short and rounded. Gill-membranes united, free from the 

 isthmus. Eye lateral. Teeth in the jaws and on the vomer 

 stout, conical ; present or absent on the palatines*, no lingual teeth ; 



* Castelnau describes 0. antarcticwi as having " small, thick, bhmt teeth 

 on the palatine bones ;" a very careful examination has, however, failed 

 to detect the existence of palatine teeth in the present species. 



