

Tyler (1968), while the Eoplectinae were described sub- 

 sequently (Tyler 1973b), and the features of these three 

 subfamilies need be only briefly summarized here. The 

 Spinacanthinae were discussed by Tyler (1968) on the 

 basis of the literature alone, but the holotypes and only 

 known specimens of the two species of this subfamily 

 have been examined for the present work and are 

 redescribed below. 



Protobalistum imperiale (Massalongo 1857:775), in 

 counterpart, MCSNV T9 (head left)-10, 522 mm SL, and 

 655 mm TL (total length), is gigantic by comparison to 

 the other members of the superfamily Triacanthoidea, 



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the largest triacanthodid otherwise known being a 174 

 mm SL specimen of Hollardia hollardi and the largest 

 triacanthid a 272 mm SL specimen of Triacanthus 

 biaculeatus (Tyler 1968:64; 1970f:5). The spiny dorsal fin 

 is enormous, with five well-developed strong spines 

 decreasing in length posteriorly in the series, with the 

 possibility that a much smaller sixth spine is present just 

 behind the base of the fifth spine but hidden there by a 

 slightly misplaced scale plate. All of the spines are 

 covered with the same kind of granulations as those of 



