1664 Bidletin ^7, United States National Museum. 



654. ANTIGONIA, Lowe. 



Antigonia, Lowe, Proc. Zoijl. Soc. Lond. 1843, 85 (capros). 



Caprophomis, MuLLER & Troschel, Horro Iclithyologic:*, ill, 28, 1845 {aurora). 



Hypsinotus, Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, Poiss.,XLii, 84, flg. 2, 1847 {rvbescens}. 



Body very deep, the depth much greater than length of body, which 

 is excessively compressed and covered with moderate-sized, firm, rough- 

 ctenoid scales; i)rofile from nape to dorsal very steep and nearly straight. 

 Surface of head above with rough bony stria- ; preopercle and suborbital 

 bones armed with slender antrorse spines; mouth small, its cleft nearly 

 vertical; premaxillary with a very long process, so that it is extremely 

 protractile, perhaps less so than in Capros; lower jaw projecting; upper 

 jaw somewhat protractile; maxillary broad, scaly; small, very slender 

 teeth on jaws in 1 row, none on palate; chin rough; preopercle with 

 rough stria', becoming antrorse spines below ; cheeks deep, covered with 

 rough scales; opercle short, scaly. Brauchiostegals 6; gill membranes 

 separate, free from isthmus. Lateral line concurrent with the back. Fin 

 spines stiff and strong. Dorsals united, the third spine stout and ele- 

 vated, the sixth or last spine shortest, lower than the soft rays, the fin 

 is thus distinctly notched. Soft dorsal and anal similar, long and low, 

 none of the rays produced; anal spines 3, joined to the fin, the first 

 longest. Base of dorsal and anal with a sheath of small, rough scales 

 extending on the fiu spines and slightly on the rays, not on the mem- 

 branes; catidal peduncle short and deep, deeper than long; caudal short, 

 squarely truncate; ventrals strong, of moderate length, at lowest point 

 of ventral outline, well behind pectorals and directly below spinous 

 dorsal, which is at highest point of dorsal outline; ventral spine large, 

 roughened anteriorly; pectorals moderate, not falcate. Probably a single 

 species, widely distributed. A very singular fish of uncertain relations. 

 It is placed by Giinther among the Cai-angidw with FJatax, Pseitiis, Psenes, 

 Zand us, etc., the natural character of the family being destroyed by the 

 intrusion of these diverse forms. We see no real resemblance between 

 Antigonia and any of the Carangidce, nor does it seem to us to jjossess 

 Scombroid affinities at all. It seems to be related to Capros, as Stein- 

 dachner and Gill have indicated, in placing Antigonia among the Ca- 

 proida. The union of the post temporal with the skull in Capros suggests 

 affinity with Zanchts and Choatodon, a suggestion borne out by the long 

 pubic bones. In its fin armature, scales, and roughness of head, Antigonia 

 suggests Priacanthus, to which genus it may be possibly related. Capros 

 shows some external resemblance to Zens, but the systematic position of 

 Zeus is equally uncertain. Nothing but its small, smooth scales allies Zeus 

 to the Scombroids and its singular ventrals suggest the Berycoids. Zens 

 has 32 vertebra", and the pubic bones not elongate. (Avnyovsia, a city 

 founded by Antigonus, the allusion not evident.) 



