ON THE GENUS GNATHANACANTHUS OF BLPIEKER. 



BY 



Theooork Ciii.i., M. I).. I'll. I >. 



I. 



In 1855 (over tbirty-tive years ago), Dr. Bleeker introduced into scieu- 

 titic literature a remarkable genus of fishes under the name (Sniithitnn- 

 canthus for a s\)eGies i G. yoetzi) found in Van Dieniens Land, ami referred 

 it to the family Cataphracti. Subsequently, in several memoirs, bo 

 referred it to the family' iScorpcvnoidei.* Nevertheless, it was over- 

 looked by Dr. (liintlier and has been neglected by all recent aufhors. 



GNATHASACASTHI 6 f-.OETZl. 



in 187G, Dr. (liinther i)roi)oscd the name llolo.renus for a lish ( //, ni- 

 taneiifi), also found in Van Diemcns Land or Tasmania, and referred it 

 to the family Cirrhitida: Dr. (iiinther added, "This is one of the most 

 singular fishes of the Tasmanian fauna. At llie lirst glance the ob- 

 server is inclined to refer it to the Scorpa-nida* or re<liculati: but there 

 is no bony stay for the preoperculum, which is not armed, and (he fore 

 limb is noti)ediculated. Its nearest allies are evidently the rinliitida-."' 



In 1870, Dr. lileeker demonstrated the identity of llohunius \\\lh 

 Gnathanacantliux, and claimed that he \va>< r:gl.t in r.f.-rrinL' tlie L'enns 



•One of these memoirs W.18 piiblish<'(l in l-^Tii, and u notice in in TUv /..i..l"^i. .il 



Record for l-i?*) (Pisces, p. 15\ immediately followiii); the ahMlrnct^-d iIi.iruo.his of 



Hohixi'UKH In that n<itice appears " (innlliaiitiraiithiin (typf'^ (i.gorizi, Hikr , np. ii.t, 



not yet described, D.^f A.?), p. 2'.tlt." CnnlhanacanlhuB ffoel:i, as already indicated, 



was described and illustrated twenty years In-fore. 



Proceetliups NHtiouiil Mnsouni. Vol. XI V— No. <vi>5. _ 



«01 



