PEISTIPOMA. 25 



Dorsal fin deeply notched, the spines being long and strong ; the fourth is longest, 

 and equal to half the height of the body beneath it. Caudal emarginate. The second 

 anal spine is slightly shorter than the fourth of the dorsal. 



Colour. — Silvery, with numerous black spots on the back and sides. A large black 

 spot at the angle of the operculum ; a black spot at the base, in front of each dorsal 

 spine and ray ; anterior half of anal blackish. 



Description. — The greatest depth of the body is below the fourth dorsal spine. The 

 profile descends from the dorsal fin to the occiput in a slight curve, and is straight on 

 the remainder of the head. The interorbital space is very convex, its width being more 

 than the diameter of the eye. The snout is pointed, the upper jaw slightly overlapping 

 the lower one. The posterior margin of the prseoperculum is scarcely emarginate ; the 

 angle is rounded, but does not project backwards ; the denticulations are stronger and 

 wider apart at the angle. The suprascapula is distinct and entire. 



The dorsal originates above the axil of the pectorals, and ends slightly behind the termi- 

 nation of the anal ; the base of the soft portion is three-fifths of that of the spinous ; it is 

 deeply notched ; the spines are strong, and broader on one side than on the other. The first 

 is less than half the length of the second ; the fourth is slightly longer than the third 

 and fifth, and equal to half the height of the body below it; the penultimate spine is 

 less than half the length of the fourth, and shorter than the second ; the last must be 

 regarded as belonging to the soft portion of the dorsal. The soft portion is much 

 lower than the spinous, the longest ray (the fourth) being equal to the eighth spine. 

 This fin, as also the anal, can be received into a scaly sheath. The caudal is emargi- 

 nate ; the lobes are scaly to three-fourths of their extent, and the centre to about one- 

 half. The anal spines are strong ; the first is very short ; the second is the longest and 

 strongest, and equal to the fourth of the dorsal. The pectorals are long, extending to 

 the origin of the anal, and nearly as long as the head. The scales are moderate. The 

 tubules of the lateral line are simple, and that line runs parallel to the upper profile of 

 the fish. 



Coloration as described above. 



Length 11 inches. 



Aden. Two specimens also exist in the British Museum, received from Port Natal. 



68. Pristipoma maculatum. [651 b.] 



Anthias maculatus, Block, t. 326. f. 2. 



Caripe, Russell, pi. 124. 



Pristipoma caripe, Cuv. fy Vol. v. p. 261 ; Cantor, Mai. Fishes, p. 75 ; Riipp. N. W. Fische, p. 124. 



maculatum, GUnth. Fish. i. p. 293. 



Bagamoia, east coast of Africa. Bed Sea. From Coromandel to New Guinea. 



