84 CATALOGUE OF FISH. 



4. Banded species. 



151. Thyrsoidea colubrina. 



Mursena colubrina, Commerson apud Lacep. v., p. G41 ; Rich., Ereb. 



d-Terr. 88, pi. 19, f. 1. 

 Murceua fasciata, Banks and 8olander,MSS. p. 68 (British Museum). 

 La niuraenopliis colubrine, Lacep. v., pp. 641-642. 



Diagn. The whole fish crossed by fifteen irregular bars ; the end 

 of the snout, and of the tail, white. 



A Mnrana taken among the Society Islands on Cook's first voy- 

 age is briefly noticed in Solander's notes, as follows : " Mur^na fas- 

 ciata, tola fasciata, fasciis latis ex albido cinerascentibus, fascim 

 dii(B in capite lutescentibus. Iris argenteo-fuscescens. Piqnlla nigra. 

 Fascia per pinnas exte7iduntur." Native names, " Epui-earhu." 

 Except in the existence of tlie bands, there is little in this notice 

 to identify it with a banded Murwna which the British Museum re- 

 ceived from the College of Surgeons. The origin of the specimen 

 is not recorded ; but it was associated in the collection with some 

 fish collected on Cook's voyage. Lacepede's figure of M. colubrina 

 represents our fish pretty well, and shows the fins fringing the 

 point of the tail ; yet in the " Regue Animal," it is quoted as spe- 

 cifically the same with the Murmna annulata of Thunberg, which 

 is an Opihisurus with double the number of black rings on the 

 body. 



Nasal teeth, 12, slenderly subulate and very acute, in one series. 

 Three taller ones on the mesial line of the disk, and 9 verij low, 

 small, bluntish teeth, in a single row, on the vomer. Palatine teeth 

 biserial; outer row of 12 or 13 teeth, which are narrowly lanceo- 

 late, very acute, low, and much reflexed ; the inner row consists of 

 4 tall, slender teeth, standing opposite to the commencement of the 

 outer row. Each limb of the mandible is armed by 24 acute, com- 

 pressed teeth ; 3 of which, near the symphysis, are set alter- 

 nately with 2 minute ones : the following teeth are similar in 

 height, regularity, and inclination to the outer palatine ones. 



Jaws equal. Posterior nasal opening with tumid lips, placed 

 very near the superior anterior margin of the orbit. The anterior 

 ones end in rather long tubes. IJody considerably compressed, 

 particularly posteriorly, the tail tapering, and ending very acutely. 

 Anus about one-fourteenth of the whole length before the middle 

 of the fish. The dorsal fin is very conspicuous, and the fold of 

 skin in which it lies is thinner than usual in the Muranm, so that 

 the rays can be readily seen when it is held up to the light. They 

 are not, however, easily reckoned, owing to their tenuity, and they 

 are shorter at the tip of the tail than on the back. The reticula- 

 tions of the skin produced by the muscular fasciculi are very fine, 

 and the lateral line is imperceptible, though there is a furrow 

 where the muscles of the side meet. 



