HOPLEGNATHID^. 351 



Fam. 31. HOPLEGNATHID^ 



Hoplegnathoidei, Sleeker, Verhand. Akad. JVefensch. Amsterd. i. 1854, 

 Japan, p. 6. 



Body compressed and elevated, covered with very small ctenoid 

 scales. Lateral line continuous. TJie hones of the jaws have a sharp 

 trenchant dentigerous edge, as in Scarus, — the teeth, if at aU conspi- 

 cuous, being continuous with the substance of the bones, forming a 

 more or less distinct serrature of the edges ; no teeth on the palate ; 

 the lower pharyngeal bones not united. The spinous portion of the 

 dorsal fin is rather more developed than the soft, the spines being 

 strong ; anal with three spines, similarly developed as the soft dorsal ; 

 ventrals thoracic, with one spine and five soft rays. 



Australian, Japanese, and Chinese Seas. 



Only one genus. 



i 



1. HOPLEGNATHUS. 



Oplognathu3, Richards. Proc. Zuol. Soc. 1840, p. 27. 

 Scaradou, Schleg. Faun. Japan. Poiss. p. 89. 



The spinous dorsal with twelve spines ; the soft dorsal and anal 

 rather elevated ; vertical fins somewhat scaly on the basal portions. 



1. Hoplegnathus conwayii. 



Oplognathus conwaii, Richards. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1840, p. 27. 

 Hoplegnathus conwayii, Richards. Trans. Zool. Soc. iii. p. 144. pi. 7. 

 fig. 1. 



D.i?. A.-i. 



12 12 



The length of the fifth and sixth dorsal spines is three times and 

 a third in the length of the head. 

 Australia ? 



2. Hoplegnathus fasciatus. 



Krusenstern, Reise, tab. 52. fig. 2. 



Scaradon fasciatus, Temm. ^ Schleg. Faun. Japon. Poiss. p. 89. pi. 46. 



figs. 1, 2. _ 



Hoplegnathus fasciatus, Richards. Ichth. Chin. p. 247 ; Bleek. I. c. p. 6, 



1). yg. A. -. 



Brownish, irregularly maculated with darker. Young with seven 

 blackish bands. 

 Japan. 



a. Half-grown : stufted. Purchased of Mr. Frank. 



