14 PERCID/E. 



follow strictly out liis own definitions, either in his genus Bodianus or 

 Cephalopholis, on account of the entire pre-opercle. The six-rayed bran- 

 chiostegous membrane would probably have induced MM. Cuvier and Val- 

 enciennes to place it rather in or near Dules, Cuv. than in the same group 

 with its apparently more natural ally, viz. Anthias sacer, Bl. {Serramis 

 anlhias, Cuv. and Val.) Convinced, however, that the group including 

 Anthias sacer, Bl. should be again detached from the true Serrajii, it 

 becomes still more imperative to separate from both, Callanthias : a mea- 

 sure strongly sanctioned by the peculiar ending and situation of the lateral 

 line, which serves to distinguish it at once from all these genera, and 

 forms another most curious and unexpected link with Chcetodontidce 

 through Glyphisodoji and Heliastes, Cuv. and Val. ; the entire pre- 

 opercle, and the six-rayed branchial membrane, confirming at the same 

 time this relation, and the other analogy above remarked with Lahms. 



The present fish has actually the character assigned by Bloch to 

 Bodianus, of a perfectly entire pre-opercle ; which none, however, of the 

 truly Percidous* species, placed by him therein, perhaps actually possess- 

 ed. -f- Nor is the value of this mark, as a distinctive character for Callan- 

 thias, really affected by Serranus oculatus, Cuv. and Val. of which it is 

 remarked, " La dentelure du pre-opercule est presque imperceptible." 

 (Cuv. and Val. ii. 268.):}: And though in this particular respect, and in 

 the scaly head or muzzle, Callanthias technically disagrees still less 

 with Cephalopholis, Bl. than with his Bodianus, yet it appears to differ far 

 more widely from the former than from the latter in its natural affinity : 

 the genus Cephalopholis, or at least its principal representative, Ceph. 

 argus, Bl. being by MM. Cuvier and Valenciennes absorbed into Serra- 

 nus, amongst the group Merous. (See Serranus argus, Cuv. and Val. ii. p. 

 860.) At all events, if Cephalopholis a7'gus, Bl. agree with Callanthias in 

 the really entire pre-opercle and the scaly lower jaw, it diflPers in the lateral 

 line, and in the number of the branchiostegous rays ; which, in the absence 

 of all positive remark, may be supposed, in a fish referred by MM. 

 Cuvier and Valenciennes to Serranus, not to differ from the rest of its con- 

 geners. 



From Anthias and Mesoprion again, Callanthias differs, whilst in teeth 



* His Bodiamis hodiamis is a Crenilubrus. See Cuv. R. Anim. 2nd edit. ii. p. itiO, note (2.) 



f See Cuv. R. An. ii. 141, notes ; Cuv. and Val. Hist. ii. pp. 211, 280. 



X This fish may surely be considered as the type of a distinct generic group {Hcqx-ranthias, nob.) ; 

 of which the following appear to be the leading characters : — 



Caput subnudum : maxillarum superiorum extremitatibus squaraosis ; rostro, suborbitario omnino, 

 maxillaque inferiore nudis. Dentes fere A7itldtB s. CallanthicB, Prse-operculum tenuissimc denticula- 

 tum. Operculum bispinosum. Linea lateralis continua, sequalis. Pinna dorsalis subbipartita s. 

 profunde emarginata : caudalis furcata. Membrana branchiostega (ut videtur) septemradiata. 



Obs. — Oculi magni. Colorcs la!ti. Forma gracilis, elongata. 



Si)ecies, Ilcvperuuthiaa (icuhUa, adhuc unica ; (Serranus oculatus, Cuv. and Val. Hist. ii. 2()(). t. 32.) 



