420 DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF ATJSTRALIAX FISHES, 



Family VII. CIERHITIDJi]. 



Perciform fislies with the lower pectoral rays not branched, and 

 with neither trenchant nor molar teeth in the jaws. 



Genus Neocirrhites, Casteln. 



Almost identical with Bleeker's genus CirrhilichtJiys, but with 

 no canine teeth in the upper jaw. The lower jaw is crowded 

 with small villiform teeth, with the canines strong and curved 

 backwards. Six simple pectoral rays. Teeth on the palate ; 

 prseoperculum armed. 



261. Neocirrhites armatus, Casteln. 



Proc. Zool. Soc, Victoria, Vol. II., p. 101. 



D. 10/13. A. 3/ ? L. lat. 43. L. transv. 16. 



Form broad, oval, compressed, upper profile very convex ; 

 height a little over twice and a third in the total length of the 

 fish ; head four times in the same ; eye twice and a-half in the 

 length of the head, upper jaw a little longer than the lower. 

 Cheeks scaly, praeoperculum with a series of rather long spines 

 at the angle. Operculum with a notch behind and covering the 

 base of the pectorals, the suprascapida serrated. Scales rather 

 large. Dorsal spines about equal, excepting the first which is 

 short ; the second anal spine rather longer than the third ; the 

 simple rays of the pectorals are thick and longer than the others, 

 extending to the extremity of the ventrals. The dorsal fin is 

 received in a scaly sheath in which the spines lay alternately, 

 forming two rows. The colour is a light yellowish brown with 

 the back darker. Length two inches. 



Knob Island, Torres Straits. 



Genus Chironemus, Cuv. & Val. 



Six or seven lower pectoral rays simple ; dorsal fin with fifteen 

 spines. Villiform teeth in both jaws, without canines ; teeth on 



