LOPHOBKANCHII. 137 



470. Aleuteres scriptus. [680.J 



Balistes scriptus, Osbeck, Voy. i. p. 174. 



ljevis, Bl. t. 414. 



Aleuteres laevis, Richards. Ichth. Voy. Sulph. p. 131, pi. 61. f. 3. 



Alutarius laevis, Cant. Mai. Fish. p. 355. 



Aleuteres scriptus, Bleek. Atl. Ichth. v. p. 227. f. 4; and Ned. Tydschr. Dierk. iii. 1865, p. 28. 



Zanzibar. East-Indian archipelago. 



Order LOPHOBRANCHII. 



SOLENOSTOMA, Lacep. 



471. Solenostoma cyanopterum. Plate XX. figs. 2, 3. [313.] 



Solenostoma paradoxum, Bleek. Nat. Tydschr. Ned. bid. iii. 1852, p. 308 (nee Pall.). 

 ■ cyanopterus, Bleek. Act. Soc. Scien. Indo-Neerl. 1859, vi. p. 190. 



D. 5 | 18. A. 16-17. P. 18. V. 7. C. 14. 



Body much compressed ; its greatest depth is below the origin of the dorsal, and is 

 contained twice and a half or twice and two-thirds in the distance between the gill- 

 opening and the root of the caudal. The body is narrower opposite the pectoral fin than 

 opposite the origin of the dorsal ; it is much attenuated above the ventral sac, and dilated 

 again between the second dorsal and anal. The free portion of the tail is rather deeper 

 than long. The length of the head equals the distance between the gill-opening and 

 the end of the dorsal. Eye of moderate size, half the length of the postorbital portion of 

 the head. Snout compressed into a thin lamella, its length being one-third of the total 

 length without caudal ; upper and lower edges of snout sharp, sides smooth, with the 

 exception of a narrow stripe along its upper and lower edge, which is beset with fine 

 vertical striae. Edges of upper surface of crown raised, enclosing a groove, which is 

 tapering in front. Operculum finely sculptured, with three raised lines radiating from 

 the upper part of its base. The integuments of the body are divided into about twenty-five 

 rings, the six or seven anterior of which are the broadest, extending to between the two 

 dorsal fins ; the remaining rings occupy the posterior half of the body and tail, and are 

 much narrower. The divisions are formed externally by more or less conspicuous 

 vertical ridges, intersected by three series of interrupted, short, longitudinal ones. 



Pectoral fins very broad, composed of twenty-six short rays. First dorsal five-rayed, 

 situated on the fifth dermal ring ; the rays are very long, extending, when laid back, as 

 far as the second dorsal fin. The second dorsal is composed of eighteen very small 

 delicate rays, situated on a semicircular hump. Caudal very long, acutely rounded, 

 composed of fourteen rays, the middle of which are nearly as long as the head. Anal 

 with from sixteen to seventeen rays, very similar to the second dorsal. Ventrals seven.. 



T 



