1905.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 459 



Body covered with fine shagreen denticles not especially enlarged on 

 back or fins. Head with numerous small pores. 



First dorsal inserted much nearer origin of pectoral than that of 

 ventral, its upper margin about equal to base of fin and slightly undu- 

 late, and posteriorly ending in a slender point. Second dorsal inserted 

 about opposite middle of base of anal, smaller than that fin, and ending 

 in a small slender point posteriorly, and reaching about f of space to 

 origin of upper caudal lobe. Anal similar in shape, inserted about 

 midway between posterior base of ventral and origin of lower caudal 

 lobe, posterior slender point reaching about * of space to latter. Pec- 

 toral rather small, posterior margin concave, and length of depressed 

 fin about half way to origin of ventral. Ventral small, entireh^ behind 

 base of first dorsal, or its origin a little nearer that of pectoral than origin 

 of lower caudal lobe. Claspers long, on their outer margin about 2^ in 

 head. 



Color in alcohol gray-brown above, bellj^ and lower surface dirty 

 creamy-white. Lower surface of pectoral and ventral same. Caudal 

 paler along lower portion of vertebral column. Iris slaty. 



Length 16^ inches. 



One example. 



Riippell suggests that Pala sorra RusselP may be this species, 

 though later Day- considers it equall}'' near Scoliodon laticaudus (Miiller 

 and Henle). Riippell's figure is poor, as it shows a much thicker body, 

 especially the caudal peduncle, and a longer snout than my example. 

 The teeth also appear to be figured broader. Bleeker's account^ agrees, 

 and I follow him provisionally in the identity of the Red Sea form. 



PRISTID^. 

 3. Pristia zysron Bleeker.*, ^, ^, ' 



^ Fishes of Coromandel, I, 1803, p. 9, PI. 14. Vizagapatam. Madras. 



2 Fishes of India, IV, 1878, p. 712, PI. 188, fig. 2. Madras. 



3 Verh. Bat. Genoot. (Bijd. Plag. Ind. Arch.), XXIV, 1852, p. 30. Batavia, 

 in mari. 



* This species agrees with Pristis pectinatus Latham in the absence of a lower 

 caudal lobe. Pristis semisagittatus Shaw and P. perrotteti Muller and Henle have 

 a pronounced lower caudal lobe. The groups may now stand as: 



PEISTIS Linck. 



Mag. P. Naturg. Gotha, VI, 1790, p. 31. Type Squahis pristis Linnaeus. 



PRISTIOPSIS subg. nov. 



Type Pristis perrotteti Muller and Henle. 



Lower caudal lobe developed. 



(Xlptcrnf, the ancient name of the sawfish; oi/'f, appearance.) 

 30 



