182 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



its generic position. It proves to be rather an aljerrant member 

 of the genus HypojAectrodes (Gilbertia), differing from its allies 

 mainly by its stronger dentition, by having its scales more 

 numerous and furnished with scalelets, and an emarginate instead 

 of truncate or rounded caudal. It attains to much greater 

 dimensions, and while the other three members of the genus are 

 remarkable for their bold black markings, this species is singularly 

 devoid of ornamentation. While these various characters may 

 be insufficient whereon to found a genus, they may be ex- 

 pressed in the sub-generic term Gilbertella. For the better 

 recognition of the species, I furnish the following description 

 and figure : — 



D. X. 20; A. iii. 8; V. i. 5; P. 15; C. 15; L. lat. 70; 

 L. tr. 11+36. 



Length of head .3-0, height of body 2-7, caudal 52 in the length 

 of the head and body. Snout with incomplete scales, its length 

 twice the diameter of the eye, the latter round, 6"0 in the length of 

 the head, and slightly less than the interorbital space, which is 

 flat; supraorbital edges not prominent. 



The upper profile of the head is quite straight, and from the 

 nape curves backwards to the first spine which marks the highest 

 point of the body ; it reaches the caudal peduncle by a low curve, 

 the ventral profile is much flatter. The lower jaw is the longer, 

 and bears a prominent chin. The cleft of the mouth is large, 

 protractile, and sub-horizontal. Maxillary naked, without supple- 

 mental bone, it extends beyond the hinder edge of the eye, its 

 posterior margin is much rounded, and its distal breadth equal to 

 the diameter of the eye. Posterior nostril vertically oval, one- 

 third the ocular diameter in front of the eye ; the anterior nostril 

 has a low skinny rim, it lies near to and below the former. The 

 preopercle is finely serrated behind, has a weak flat spine at the 

 angle, and two small antrose ones below it. The opercle has 

 a large flat spine at the angle, another below it, and a third 

 further removed above. 



Gill rakers of medium length, about half that of the gill-fringes, 

 seven free ones on the lower limb of the first arch, preceded by 

 indications of others, and a single one on the hinder limb, with 

 four spiny bosses above it. 



Teeth. — In the jaws the teeth are villiform and all depressible, 

 those on the inner side somewhat larger. The upper jaw bears a 

 pair of large widely-spaced canines ; a similar pair in the lower 

 jaw but much closer together. At each side of the mandible is a 

 series of three canines, all close together and larger than ^those 

 in front. Vomer and palatines with villiform teeth, tongue 

 smooth. 



