284 CHROMIDES. 



6. THERAPS. 



Body compressed, oblong, covered with ctenoid scales of moderate 

 size. Dorsal spines numerous, anal spines three or four. Teeth in 

 a band, conical. Anterior prominences of the first branchial arch 

 short horny processes. Cleft of the mouth short, with the upper 

 jaw longest. Scales on the cheek small, in more than live series. 

 Dorsal fin not scaly. 



Guatemala. 



1, Theraps irregularis. 



D. ||. A. J. L. lat. 35. L. transv. 4/14. 



Six series of scales on the cheek. 

 Guatemala. 



a. Six inches long. Guatemala. From Mr. 0. Salvin's Collection. 



Description of the specimen. — The height of the body equals the 

 length of the head, and is two-sevenths of the total (the caudal fin 

 not included). Head longer than high, with the snout compressed 

 and promiuent ; the length of the snout is two-fifths of that of the 

 head, and nearly twice the width of the orbit. The cleft of the 

 mouth is rather small, extending backwards somewhat behind the 

 vertical from the nostril; upper jaw slightly overlapping the lower; 

 teeth in a narrow band, those of the outer series largest. Prteorbital 

 somewhat wider than the orbit, its width being equal to that of the 

 interorbital space, which is rather convex. The eye is situated 

 immediately below the upper profile, its centre being a little behind 

 the middle of the length of the head. Scales on the cheek small, in 

 six oblique series. The posterior limb of the prajoperculum is longer 

 than the inferior and descends obliquely forwards. Scales on the 

 opercles as large as those on the neck ; those .near the base of the 

 dorsal and on the abdomen very small. Scales ctenoid. 



The dorsal fin commences above the root of the ventral, and is 

 not scaly. The spines are of moderate length and strength, the 

 length of the fifteenth being two-sevenths of that of the head. The 

 soft portion docs not extend to the caudal, if laid backwards ; the 

 distance between dorsal and caudal equals that of the extremity of 

 the snout from the postei'ior margin of the orbit. Caudal rounded. 

 Pectoral shorter than the head. The ventral spine is only half as 

 long as the fin, and enveloped in skin together with the first soft 

 ray ; the fin does not extend on to the vent. 



Eeddish-olive, marbled with blackish ; the latter colour forming 

 seven rather irregular transverse bands, some of which extend on 

 the dorsal fin. 13elly silvery, marbled with blackish ; opercles and 

 some scales on the body with blue dots. 



The outer branchial arch is provided with short horny processes. 

 Lower pharpigeal broader than long, the lateral halves not being 

 very firmly united ; it is armed with villiform teeth, and with two 

 rows of stronger conical teeth along the middle. 



